Considering a move to Iowa City, IA? You’re probably curious to know what it’s like to live there. We’ll go over 10 reasons why Iowa City is a great place to live, from the affordable cost of living to the culture, transportation, and recreation. Maybe life in Iowa will surprise you!
Table of Contents
1. College-Town Life
Iowa City is a bustling college town. It has a population of around 75,000 in the city itself, and many more people live in nearby suburbs.
The largest college there is the University of Iowa, a public research university with a total enrollment of over 31,000. There are other colleges nearby as well.
The University of Iowa brings a diverse population to the city, and students add excitement to the downtown area. The university provides Iowa City residents opportunities for further education as well. It also promotes industry, attracting talent to the area and contributing to research. Lastly, the university brings Iowa City benefits in terms of sports and cultural events, which we’ll talk about later.
As a college town, Iowa City has many great neighborhoods for you to choose from! Maybe you want to live near the university on the East Side to be close to events. However, if you want a quieter life, the West Side also has easy access to the stadiums and other college-sponsored events.
2. Affordability
Iowa City is an affordable area, especially compared to other cities of the same size.
The cost of living in Iowa City is 10.4% lower than the national average and slightly lower than the state average for Iowa. Rent prices are particularly affordable; healthcare costs and utility prices are similarly low.
To give you an idea of the cost of living in Iowa, the typical rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Iowa City is $1,150 per month, and the typical cost of a home is $266,000. These reasonable prices make Iowa City a good place to live.
3. Job Opportunities
Iowa City has low unemployment, a testament to its strong job market.
If you’re moving to Iowa City, you’ll find a variety of job opportunities. Some prominent sectors in Iowa City include engineering, health care, medical technology, and finance. Various Fortune 500 companies operate in Iowa City, and Iowa City is known as a leader in educational technology. In fact, the ACT is headquartered in Iowa City.
Other widely known companies in Iowa City include Procter & Gamble, Oral-B, and Pearson. Of course, there is also the University of Iowa, which is the largest employer in the city.
4. Easy Transportation
Getting around is easy in Iowa City! Iowa City has good public transportation in the form of buses. These buses are free, as the city thought it an innovative way to decrease carbon emissions by encouraging travel by bus.
Iowa City’s abundant bike lanes also allow for transportation options besides cars. In addition, its flatness makes biking around a breeze.
Although you may still want a car in Iowa City, the city is the second most walkable in the state. There are many parts of the city you can get around without a car. One of these areas is the Pedestrian Mall, otherwise known as the Ped Mall, located downtown. It’s one of the only pedestrian-only malls in the country!
With a car, the average commute time in Iowa City is only 18 minutes, lower than the national average. You won’t find a whole lot of traffic in Iowa compared to many other parts of the United States, as a large share of Iowa’s population lives in rural and suburban areas.
Lastly, Iowa City has train lines connecting to many other cities, from Chicago to Oakland and Los Angeles. These many transportation options make Iowa City a good place to live.
5. Events and Entertainment
There are a variety of events and entertainment opportunities to look forward to if you’re moving to Iowa City.
Some of the entertainment in Iowa City is in the form of festivals. There are many summer festivals in the Ped Mall, including the annual Iowa City Jazz Festival and the Iowa City Arts Festival.
Outside of festivals, there’s still a lot to do in the downtown area. You can check out a variety of restaurants and shops in the Ped Mall in particular.
If you’re a fan of sports, the University of Iowa brings athletic events to the area. Their games are popular with the Hawkeyes participating in Division I of the NCAA. Football is the best-known sport, but you can also see baseball, softball, field hockey, and more—often with free admission! Just make sure to wear your black and gold.
6. Family Living
In 2022, Fortune magazine named Iowa City one of the twenty-five best places for families.
Some of the reasons that Iowa City is a good place for families to live are elsewhere on the list, including the events, culture, and outdoor recreation opportunities.
However, aside from this, Iowa City has a highly rated public school system, with over two-thirds of its schools rated average or above average. In particular, Iowa City High is in the top ten best public schools in Iowa, with high rankings in both sports and academics.
Iowa City also has a Blue Zone certification, which is awarded to cities that make strides toward health and sustainability. Some of its efforts include increasing fruits and vegetables in schools and banning e-cigarettes in zones where smoking is prohibited. These measures help create healthy environments for families!
The Morningside-Glendale neighborhood is especially good for families on the East Side, and neighborhoods like the Peninsula are great on the West Side.
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7. Arts and Culture
Iowa City has a great deal of cultural opportunities in the arts. The University of Iowa is known for its top-ranked Writers’ Workshop, which was the first American creative writing degree program. Writers from the workshop have won over 17 Pulitzer Prizes.
As a result of its literary talent, Iowa City became the first UNESCO City of Literature in the United States in 2008. Now, it’s among the likes of other UNESCO Cities of Literature from Baghdad to Barcelona to Jakarta.
Iowa City features a Literary Walk through the downtown that celebrates writers connected to the city. Each year, it also holds the multi-day Iowa City Books Festival, during which the Paul Engel Prize of $10,000 is awarded to an impactful writer.
If all this isn’t enough, Iowa City also hosts an annual weekend-long celebration of children’s literature called One Book, Two Book. There are several award-winning bookstores in Iowa City as well, which host literary events.
Beyond the literary arts, Iowa City boasts a variety of murals, a classic movie theater, and venues for live theater and music. There are art museums and galleries to visit too.
Lastly, if you’re more into history, Iowa City has an interesting history, with museums and landmarks you can visit.
8. Outdoor Recreation
Iowa City has plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation. From the spring to the fall, the weather is sunny with low humidity, providing great conditions for being outside.
The Iowa River runs through the Iowa City downtown and flows into the Mississippi River. Many people in Iowa City go canoeing and kayaking on this waterway.
The adjacent Iowa River Corridor Trail is six miles long and connects parts of the city, including parks, the university area, neighborhoods, and the downtown.
Beyond the river trail, there are a variety of other trails in the area, paved and unpaved. You can use these trails for walking, biking, and mountain biking. Indeed, Iowa is a good place for cyclists to live, as it has a variety of landscapes to explore, with an annual week-long ride across the state.
There are also parks with outdoor movies in the summer, as well as orchards for activities like pumpkin picking.
Another local attraction outdoors is the Devonian Fossil Gorge, which you can tour to see preserved fossils from the ancient Devonian period.
9. Food
Iowa is known for its farmland and agriculture, including crops like corn and soybeans, as well as livestock and dairy. As a result, Iowa City has great access to fresh food. There are two large farmers’ markets throughout the summer, as well as a big winter market, providing access to produce year-round.
Beyond the produce, Iowa City is known as the culinary capital of the state. Its downtown streets are full of diverse, highly-rated dining options. In Iowa City, you have over fifty sidewalk cafes to choose from!
10. Health Care
Last but not least, Iowa City is known for its high-quality, affordable health care. The explanation for that is Iowa City has several top-ranked hospitals that compete with each other to offer high-quality services.
Iowa City’s excellent health care access is a major reason HGTV ranked Iowa City second in its list of best small towns for retirees. Moreover, Livability ranked Iowa City the best city for affordable health care, with health care costs in Iowa City 17% lower than in the rest of the country.
Iowa City’s hospitals have many medical specialties. They’re especially known for their use of technology and their top-tier ENT services.
Iowa City Moving
Hopefully, now you’re convinced that there are some great reasons to move to Iowa City! As you plan your move, consider hiring UniMovers, which offers moving services throughout Iowa, including Iowa City. UniMovers is an affordable, labor-only moving company. Overall, UniMovers’ customizable services and low rates make it a great option for a move to Iowa!
Conclusion
We’ve gone over a lot of details about living in Iowa City. To recap, Iowa City reaps the benefits of being a college town. It’s also affordable, with low rent prices, and has many job opportunities. Iowa City’s public transportation and low commute times make it easy to get around.
There are tons of events and entertainment options in Iowa City, from festivals to sports games, and it’s a good place for families. The arts (especially of literary variety) feature prominently in Iowa City.
Iowa City is a good place for lovers of outdoor recreation, from biking to exploring by foot. You can get fresh food from local produce providers and there’s good access to affordable health care. All in all, there are a lot of reasons Iowa City is a good place to live!
Sophie Pollack-Milgate has a day job as a bioethics research assistant. In her free time, she likes to read books critiquing psychiatry, complain about how either ice or heat are ruining her runs (depending on the season), and modify recipes beyond recognition.
