Considering a change of pace? Want the opportunity to own a home (with a yard), send your kids to amazing and safe public schools, and ditch the crazy commute? Maybe you think a place in Iowa can’t offer exciting career opportunities, educated and diverse neighbors, award-winning dining and entertainment, and that cool factor that lured you to the big city. Take another look. The Iowa City-Cedar Rapids (ICR) metro is home to almost half a million people, the University of Iowa (Go Hawks!), and internationally recognized industries like Collins Aerospace, ACT, and General Mills. We offer a Big Ten college town lifestyle with a 15-minute commute, award winning public schools, and homes you can afford without a roommate. We are educated, diverse, and, well, the cool kids of the Midwest. Some call us the “Austin of Iowa,” but we prefer ICR. Check us out!
#1
IN GRADUATION RATES
IOWA RANKS #1
BEST STATE TO LIVE IN 2018
Iowa
IS ONE OF THE BEST US STATES FOR CHILDREN
RANKED #4
IOWA CITY IS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN AMERICA
Iowa
IS ONE OF THE BEST US STATES FOR CHILDREN
RANKED #4
IOWA CITY IS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN AMERICA
$212,000
AVERAGE HOME PRICE
19 minutes
Average commute
- Our neighbors are smart and reliable.
- We never worry about earthquakes.
- A 15-minute commute IS rush hour.
- Our kids go to award-winning PUBLIC schools.
- 10 gigabytes is how we roll.
- Have you seen the Kinnick Wave?
- We can afford houses without roommates.
- Time for dinner parties and little league (see #3).
- Yep, we really are Iowa Nice.
- That Big Ten college vibe! Go Hawks!
Want to own your home? Here, you can! The average home price in ICR comes in at $212,000 — well below the national average of $299,000. Housing development in downtown Cedar Rapids and Iowa City has exploded in recent years, so modern lofts and updated cottage homes are available for those who enjoy urban lifestyles. Suburban communities like Coralville, Marion, Solon, North Liberty, and Hiawatha continue to add new subdivisions with amenities ideal for growing families. If you are pining for a fixer-upper farmhouse or a renovated Victorian, we have those too. Check out Washington, Vinton, Amana, Mt. Vernon, and Williamsburg for a small town setting with plenty of charm.
Iowa’s public school graduation rates are the highest in the country, and that rate continues to rise. In ICR, we have some of the top ranked schools in the state, largely based on Advanced Placement (AP) course offerings, dual-enrollment, and overall student achievement. Innovation in and outside the classroom is a core part of our culture. In-school programs like Iowa BIG, CASL, and the Kirkwood Career Academies add project-based learning and certifications into student curriculum. The Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Students and after-school or summer enrichment programs including College for Kids, Coder DoJo, First Lego Leagues, and a wide-variety of educational, recreational, and cultural programs offered through the University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College create opportunities for every student.