Iowa City, IA Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 177,420 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Iowa City, IA Metro Area

What is the median household income in Iowa City, IA Metro Area?: The median household income in Iowa City, IA Metro Area is $74,142 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Iowa City, IA Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Iowa City, IA Metro Area is 6.1% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Iowa City, IA Metro Area?: $280,400 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Iowa City, IA Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Iowa City, IA Metro Area is $1,077 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Iowa City, IA Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 50.3% of adults in Iowa City, IA Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

177,420

Median Income

$74,142

Median Home Value

$280,400

Poverty Rate

6.1%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

3.5%

Median Age

31.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$11,598 (+18.5%) Home Value: +$64,400 (+29.8%) Poverty Rate: -1.1 pp (-15.3%) Bachelor's+: +2.0 pp (+4.1%) Unemployment: +0.1 pp (+2.9%)

Demographics

Total Population 177,420

Median Age 31.0

Female 50.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 6.8% White (non-Hisp.) 77.3% Black 6.7% Asian 5.1% Two or More 6.3% Other 2.3%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Chinese

1.8%

Indian

1.2%

Korean

0.6%

Vietnamese

0.6%

Filipino

0.1%

Japanese

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

3.8%

Puerto Rican

0.6%

Cuban

0.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $74,142 ±$2,249

Per Capita Income $103,192

Median Family Income $110,743

Poverty Rate 6.1%

Child Poverty Rate 9.8%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 6.5%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 20.0%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

5.9%

$10–15k

3.5%

$15–25k

6.5%

$25–35k

7.7%

$35–50k

11.0%

$50–75k

15.8%

$75–100k

11.9%

$100–150k

18.2%

$150–200k

8.2%

$200k+

11.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 76,849

Owner-Occupied 60.5%

Renter-Occupied 39.5%

Vacancy Rate 7.3%

Median Home Value $280,400

Median Gross Rent $1,077

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 14.8%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 45.2%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

4.7%

$50–100k

4.4%

$100–200k

7.6%

$200–300k

29.7%

$300–500k

30.5%

$500k–$1M

12.4%

$1M+

1.5%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

4.1%

$500–1k

38.6%

$1–1.5k

36.1%

$1.5–2k

12.4%

$2–2.5k

6.2%

$2.5–3.5k

1.2%

$3.5k+

1.4%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

6.8%

1 vehicle

34.1%

2 vehicles

39.2%

19.8%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

52.4%

Single-fam. att.

10.8%

2–4 units

2.5%

5–19 units

6.7%

20+ units

11.2%

Mobile home

3.6%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

13.3%

1940–1969

2.1%

1970–1999

12.3%

2000–2009

15.7%

2010+

16.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 95.8%

Bachelor's or Higher 50.3%

Graduate Degree 21.8%

Some College / Associate 17.8%

Less Than High School 1.9%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 69.6%

Unemployment Rate 3.5%

Work from Home 12.1%

Self-Employed 5.0%

Government Workers 26.9%

Private For-Profit 67.8%

Industry

Edu/Health

38.8%

Retail

11.4%

Manufacturing

8.3%

Arts/Entmt.

8.2%

Prof. Services

7.6%

Finance

5.6%

Construction

4.4%

Transportation

4.0%

Public Admin

2.7%

Agriculture

2.0%

Information

1.6%

Wholesale

1.6%

Occupation

Management

48.7%

Sales

17.8%

Food Prep

16.3%

Production

10.8%

Construction

6.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 20.2 min

Drove Alone 66.5%

Carpool 7.7%

Public Transit 3.7%

Work from Home 12.1%

Walked 7.3%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 71,262

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 44.3%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 18.4%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.5%

5–9

5.8%

10–14

5.5%

15–19

8.6%

20–24

13.9%

25–34

14.3%

35–44

12.4%

45–54

10.0%

55–64

4.9%

65–74

5.2%

75–84

8.3%

85+

3.9%

Under 18: 20.2% Working age (18–64): 79.8% 65 and over: 13.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 9.4%

Naturalized Citizen 42.1%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 5.0%

Foreign-Born Origin

Asia

40.1%

Africa

29.1%

Latin America

18.6%

Europe

8.6%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 4.2%

With a Disability 10.0%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 94.6%

Uninsured 5.4%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 89.0%

Has a Computer 96.1%

Same House 1 Year Ago 78.2%

Moved from Abroad 0.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023