Housing data for Iowa City, IA
Iowa City, IA has an estimated 75,752 residents and 33,863 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Johnson County.
52.8% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,094 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+1.1%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 75,752 (±43)
- Housing units
- 33,863 (±601)
- Households that rent
- 52.8%
- Median gross rent
- $1,094
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +1.1%
What stands out in Iowa City
Households that rent: 52.8% (±2.2 points) in Iowa City, higher than in Johnson County (40.6%).
Households without a vehicle: 11.0% (±1.4 points) in Iowa City, higher than in Johnson County (7.1%).
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 41.7% (±2.6 points) in Iowa City, higher than in Johnson County (30.6%).
Median household income: $58,546 (±$3,038) in Iowa City, lower than in Johnson County ($74,935).
- Renters and owners in Iowa City
- Commute and cars in Iowa City
- Types of homes in Iowa City
- Income and affordability in Iowa City
Housing in Iowa City at a glance
- Median rent: $1,094 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,120 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 61.9% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 52.8% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $58,546 median household income
- Home values: $285,900 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,813 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $4,838 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 41.7% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 50.4% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 44.7% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 7.8% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 64.3% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 17.3 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 257 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +1.1% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 41.2% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 2.3% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Iowa City against Johnson County, its state and the nation
| Iowa City | Johnson County | Iowa | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 75,752 (±43) | 156,639 (exact) | 3,210,507 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 33,863 (±601) | 68,217 (±121) | 1,437,699 (±523) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 52.8% (±2.2 points) | 40.6% (±1.3 points) | 28.3% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,094 (±$41) | $1,122 (±$24) | $972 (±$6) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $58,546 (±$3,038) | $74,935 (±$3,026) | $75,059 (±$418) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $285,900 (±$8,160) | $308,600 (±$7,979) | $208,000 (±$1,141) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $4,838 (±$126) | $4,681 (±$109) | $2,897 (±$13) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 44.7% (±2.5 points) | 36.7% (±1.8 points) | 61.5% (±0.4 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 17.3 minutes (±0.7) | 19.4 minutes (±0.7) | 19.8 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 86.1% (±1.5 points) | 89.2% (±1.1 points) | 88.9% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 26.2 years (±0.6) | 31.0 years (±0.2) | 38.6 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Iowa City covers 25.8 square miles of land, about 2,940 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Iowa City has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 74,950 (±109) | 75,752 (±43) | +1.1% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 33,254 (±597) | 33,863 (±601) | +1.8% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $967 (±$28) | $1,094 (±$41) | +13.1% | Down after inflation |
| Median home value | $215,100 (±$5,764) | $285,900 (±$8,160) | +32.9% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $49,075 (±$1,986) | $58,546 (±$3,038) | +19.3% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,574 (±$48) | $1,813 (±$72) | +15.2% | Down after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $3,889 (±$100) | $4,838 (±$126) | +24.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 52.3% (±1.6 points) | 52.8% (±2.2 points) | +0.5 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.1% (±1.5 points) | 7.8% (±2.1 points) | +3.7 percentage points | Measurable increase |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Iowa City
In 2025, the Iowa City Police Department reported 257 violent and 1,606 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Johnson County, the departments that report recorded 196 violent and 1,166 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Iowa City
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52242 | 100% | 4,688 | — | — | — |
| 52245 | 99% | 22,853 | $1,262 | $315,100 | $78,020 |
| 52246 | 50% | 22,308 | $1,057 | $348,900 | $62,521 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Iowa City
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Heights | 1.4 mi | $1,588 | $429,900 | 45.1% |
| Coralville | 4.5 mi | $1,057 | $298,500 | 44.1% |
| Hills | 6.8 mi | $1,132 | $240,200 | 35.8% |
| Tiffin | 7.2 mi | $1,224 | $338,500 | 19.8% |
| North Liberty | 7.4 mi | $1,246 | $303,800 | 33.1% |
| West Branch | 9.7 mi | $1,053 | $216,100 | 17.8% |
| Solon | 11 mi | $1,127 | $309,400 | 20.8% |
| Riverside | 12 mi | $918 | $183,700 | 18.9% |
Places in Iowa most like Iowa City
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | $1,023 | $277,400 | $60,991 | 57.9% |
| Coralville | $1,057 | $298,500 | $69,144 | 44.1% |
| West Des Moines | $1,237 | $309,000 | $86,594 | 42.6% |
| Okoboji | $942 | $299,300 | $73,000 | 32.5% |
| Rock Valley | $1,142 | $231,200 | $76,250 | 48.9% |
| Des Moines | $1,090 | $194,700 | $65,932 | 39.5% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Iowa.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Iowa City, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $942 | $1,002 | $1,180 | $1,634 | $1,972 |
HUD income limits for Iowa City, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $25,500 | $42,500 | $68,000 |
| 2 people | $29,150 | $48,600 | $77,700 |
| 3 people | $32,800 | $54,650 | $87,400 |
| 4 people | $36,400 | $60,700 | $97,100 |
| 5 people | $39,350 | $65,600 | $104,900 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $70,450 | $112,650 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $75,300 | $120,450 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $80,150 | $128,200 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Iowa City, IA HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $121,400.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Iowa City
What is the average rent in Iowa City, IA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Iowa City is $1,094 (±$41) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Iowa City?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Iowa City, IA is $889 (±$28) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Iowa City rent-burdened?
61.9% of renting households in Iowa City pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Iowa City?
Iowa City has an estimated 16,271 (±822) renting households, 52.8% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Iowa City?
The median household income in Iowa City is $58,546 (±$3,038) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Iowa City, IA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $285,900 (±$8,160) for owner-occupied homes in Iowa City (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Iowa City growing?
In Iowa City, the number of residents went from 74,950 in 2015–2019 to 75,752 in 2020–2024 (+1.1%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Iowa City?
The ZIP codes that cover Iowa City are 52242, 52245, 52246.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Iowa City city, Iowa
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Iowa City city, Iowa
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Iowa City city, Iowa
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Iowa City city, Iowa
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Iowa City city, Iowa
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Iowa City city, Iowa
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Iowa City city, Iowa
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Iowa City, IA HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Iowa City, IA HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Iowa City Police Department (ORI IA0520200)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Iowa City city, Iowa (place:38595, in state:19).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .