PlainRelocate

Relocation profile · Federal data

Iowa City, IA

LiveAbility 59.8/100 places Iowa City #59 of 387 (top third of scored metros).

91.5
Cost index (US=100)
$1,141
2BR rent / mo
$66,752
Median salary
59.8
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Iowa City ranks #59 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (59.8/100), with its strongest marks in air quality and housing.

#59
of 387 US metros · Excellent
3,241,488
metro-area population
238
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
1,326
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: low hazard (24/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Iowa City ranks #59 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 91.5 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,141/mo, median salary $66,752; LiveAbility Score 59.8/100, strongest in air quality and housing.

Signature: LiveAbility 59.8/100 places Iowa City #59 of 387 (top third of scored metros).

Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 91.5 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $1,141/mo.

LiveAbility 59.8/100 puts Iowa City in the top third (#59 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Iowa City area is 83,600.

Iowa City vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

60 Top 16% higher than 84% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Iowa City housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Iowa City MSA; housing RPP 84.0 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,141/mo.

Studio
$880
/month
1 Bedroom
$961
/month
2 Bedroom
$1,141
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,587
/month
4 Bedroom
$1,914
/month

Iowa City wages and employment

Iowa City posts 83,600 total employment with median salary $66,752 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.

Median Salary
$66,752
Mean Salary
$69,824
Total Employment
83,600

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Registered Nurses $85,940
Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,760
Retail Salespersons $29,940
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $61,960
Cashiers $29,080

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Iowa City area from NCES.

Schools
1,326
Enrollment
497,853
Student:Teacher
14.8:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Iowa City area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$8,306
per year
Toddler (Center)
$7,157
per year
Preschool (Center)
$7,157
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Iowa City's composite Life Score is 59.4/100 (C-), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
67/100
Strong
Wages
59/100
Above average
Rent
74/100
Strong
Crime
72/100
Strong
Schools
45/100
Average
Childcare
64/100
Above average
Environment
14/100
Bottom decile

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Iowa City ranks #59 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 59.8/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Air quality (77/100)

Iowa City - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Iowa City's strongest dimensions are air quality and housing; its weakest among scored dims is low hazard at 24/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Compare Iowa City to

Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood Ithaca Jackson Jackson Jackson Jacksonville

Metros near Iowa City on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Iowa City on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)

Similar LiveAbility score

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Iowa City cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Iowa City wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Iowa City?

Iowa City runs a $66,752 median salary at a 91.5 cost index, ranking #59 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Iowa City's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Iowa City head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Iowa City
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.