Iowa City area highlighted, ranked

UPDATED July 8, 2008: 

Depending on your point of view - rankings and ratings are/can be very subjective, but it's nice to be recognized.

• Iowa City is the top city in Iowa, and number 18 nationally, in Country Home Magazine's Best Green Places 2008 report.  Hundreds of cities were analyzed on key points such as official energy policies, green power, green buildings, and the availability of fresh, locally grown food.

• Health, prosperity, safety and security are all desirable aspects when it comes to seeing a place to live, work or raise a family.  According to the fourth annual Most Secure U.S. Place to Live rankings from Farmers Insurance Group of Companies^(R), Iowa City made the top 20 in the Small Towns (Fewer than 150,000 residents) category.  The rankings took into consideration crime statistics, extreme weather, risk of natural disasters, environmental hazards, terrorism threats, air quality, life expectancy and job loss numbers in 379 U.S. municipalities.  The study divided the communities into three groups:  large metropolitan areas, mid-size cities and small towns. 

• Iowa City and the State of Iowa ranked number 2 and number 6, respectively, in the 2008 Volunteering in America Rankings.  Read more here.

• Forbes Magazine has offered two new lists that include our area.  Iowa City has been named the second best small places for business and careers and number eight in the list of Top Ten Up-and-Coming Tech Cities.  As well, Fortune Magazine and CNN Money have placed Iowa at #21 for Best Places to Live and Launch.  Read more here: #2 Best Small Places, #8 Up-and-Coming Tech Cities, #21 Best Places to Live

• National Geographic Adventure magazine listed the Iowa City area as No. 1 small town in Iowa.  The magazine's list, "50 Best Places to Live and Play" features one "best place" in each of the 50 states in the September 2007 issue.  You can read a Press-Citizen article.

• MSN and Sperling's Best Places highlights some of the best places to live and work.  The Iowa City area rates No. 5 in the nation!  Check it out.

• Outside magazine's Best Towns 2007 ranks the Iowa City area the best in the Midwest and we quite agree! The magazine seeks towns that are "fit, fun & packed with adventure" and "the greatest places to play."  Click here to read online or here for a pdf file.

• In June 2006, Kiplinger.com refered to Iowa City as "an oasis on the prairie, this wholesome middle-American city is bursting with creative and intellectual energy."  Find out more about why Iowa City ranked #10 on the list of 50 Smart Place to Live.  Just click here.

• Lucky magazine, the shopping, on-line and local shopping guides, expert advice, shopping forum, and more, identified the Iowa City area as one of "five super-charming destinations." The trendy shopping guide highlighted several unique boutiques in the area.  Click here to read a shopping report from "Lucky."