Why Iowa?

Living in the Iowa City Area

Living in Iowa City

Iowa City ranks among the best places to live in America. Iowa City, Johnson County, and the state of Iowa all routinely appear on national “best of” lists for housing affordability, low crime rates, excellent schools, economic opportunities, access to world-class health care, and more.

And you’ll be delighted by all of the things you can do here that you’d expect to find in a much larger city, including enjoying world-class entertainment, culture, outdoor recreation, shopping, dining, spectator sports, and more. And here, the neighborhoods are safe, the people are friendly, and traffic hassles are virtually nonexistent.

Iowa City is conveniently located right off of Interstate 80, so getting to and from here is simple. The newly-renovated Eastern Iowa Airport is just 30 minutes away; Quad Cities International Airport is about an hour away. You can drive to Chicago in about three hours or to Minneapolis, St. Louis, or Kansas City in five.

Northwest of Iowa City is Coralville, and just north of Coralville is North Liberty. All three lie within the highly acclaimed Iowa City Community School District and are served by public transportation, as well as an ever-expanding network of paved bike trails.

Greater Johnson County offers yet more easily accessible choices, including rural acreages and small towns that add only a handful of minutes to your daily commute.

Choose from a Variety of Communities

Iowa City

Iowa City is the hub of a thriving, easily-drivable region that offers a range of choices for when it’s time to decide where to make your home. Here, you can walk to work from one of the leafy, historic neighborhoods near downtown and the University of Iowa campus. Or, make a quick commute from one of the many outlying neighborhoods.

Coralville

Adjacent to Iowa City is Coralville, which offers quiet suburban living and easy access to a broad range of retail shopping and dining options.

North Liberty

Fast-growing North Liberty has plenty of modern housing, a state-of-the-art recreation center, and a new high school.

City of North Liberty

You'll Find This in the Iowa City Area

Galleries, festivals, readings, and performances. The variety and frequency will amaze you.

Bike paths, bike courtesy, employer incentives for riding bikes. Iowa City has led the area for a long time.

Pick your favorite music style and you’ll find a lively outlet for it in Iowa City. Our venues for concerts rival what you’ll find in cities many times our size.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We take the state’s motto seriously: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. You see it in action throughout our communities.

Earth-conscious

We are a green community, set on making an example of responsible living.

Our food choices cover many ethnic types and price points and always provide a ring of quality. Our locally-sourced restaurants are phenomenal.

Besides UI Hospitals and Clinics and our many satellite clinics, our community is the home of a large Veterans Affairs medical center.

Arts, sports, schools, play, discovery, care... you’ll see why so many people say, “This is a great place to raise a family.”

Formal and informal learning opportunities are available for all age levels and abilities. You pick the topic and you’re likely to find a classroom for it.

UNESCO City of Literature

We are a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) City of Literature—the first, and only one of two in the United States.Our festivals and readings celebrate our love of the book arts.

Pet care, pet parks, and pet love abound.

Parks and Recreation

We work hard at our leisure activities. Our parks, facilities, and programming deliver opportunities for all to get out and enjoy.

Iowa City has earned high rankings nationally for its livability for all ages, especially for retired individuals.

Whether it’s retail chains, trendy one-of-a-kinds, or vintage shopping, Iowa City and its neighbors offer an abundance of choices.

Whether it’s in a formal business incubator or piloted in a storefront, we provide markets and knowhow for innovators from a variety of fields.

Yes, we have vineyards and breweries. You’ll find the hospitality, the libations, the food, and surroundings to be memorable.