About the Iowa City Area

The Iowa City Area Development Group serves the communities of Iowa City, Coralville, Kalona, North Liberty, Solon, Tiffin, Tipton, the Amana Colonies, and Johnson County.  Each community is unique and offers something different to its families and businesses.  Combined, this region has been recognized annually as one of the most livable areas in the nation.

Area Rankings - 2010

  • University of Iowa Master of Fine Arts (MFA) writing programs in fiction, poetry and nonfiction ranked No. 1 by Poets & Writers Magazine, August 2010
  • U.S.News & World Report's 2010-2011 edition of "Best Hospitals in America" ranks ten specialties at UIHC; three in the top ten:  Otolaryngology, Opthalmology, and Orthopaedics, July 2010
  • Johnson County is among the Top 25 counties on CNN/Money Magazine's "Where the Jobs Are 2010," with over 22% growth the past decade, July 2010
  • Iowa City is among the Top 100 Small Cities on CNN/Money Magazine's "Best Places to Live 2010," July 2010
  • Iowa City ranks 2nd out of 75 mid-size cities for volunteer rate - "Volunteering in America," Corporation for National & Community Service, June 2010
  • U.S.News & World Report's 2010-2011 edition of "America's Best Children's Hospitals" ranks UI Children's Hospital 23rd in the nation in the specialty area of neonatology; 24th in orthopedics; and 25th in pulmonology, June 2010
  • No. 10, "Best Cities for College Grads," Richard Florida (author of the Creative Class), May 2010
  • U.S.News & World Report ranks 22 University of Iowa graduate programs and colleges among the 10 best in the country when compared to other public universities, with five UI programs continuing to rank in first place, April 2010
  • University of Iowa's Tippie MBA-PM program ranked in the Top 50,  U.S. News & World Report, April 2010
  • Forbes has ranked Iowa City number 2 on its most recent "Best Places for Business and Careers" list (smaller metros), April 2010
  • The Financial Times has ranked the University of Iowa's Tippie School of Management one of the best MBA programs in the world, February 2010
  • "Healthiest Town in the United States," Men's Journal, February 2010
  • "Top Towns for Jobs," MSN CareerBuilder, January 2010

Area Rankings - 2009

  • No. 22 in the Milken Institute’s Best Performing Cities Index, "Where America’s Jobs Are Created and Sustained," November 2009
  • Iowa City is ranked as one of America's Top 100 Adventure Cities - National Geographic Adventure, October 2009
  • Iowa City/Coralville/North Liberty named an Iowa Great Place - Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, October 2009
  • University of Iowa's John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center No. 23 "Top entrepreneurial educational programs in the country"- Entrepreneur Magazine, September 2009
  • Iowa City No. 5 Best College Destination in the “2009-2010 College Destinations Index” - American Institute for Economic Research, September 2009
  • University of Iowa No. 29 "Best Public National University in the Country" - U.S.News & World Report, August 2009
  • University of Iowa Tippie School of Business ranked Top 20 "Full-time MBA Programs" and "MBA Programs Offering Best Value" - Forbes Magazine, August 2009
  • Iowa City ranks 2nd out of 75 mid-size cities for volunteer rate - "Volunteering in America," Corporation for National & Community Service, July 2009
  • No. 5 "Best Places to Begin a Career" - Metros Under 500,000, Forbes Magazine, July 2009
  • No. 25 "America's Best Children's Hospitals" - U.S.News and World Report, June 2009
  • No. 13 "Top College Towns for Jobs" - Forbes Magazine, May 2009
  • 21 University of Iowa Programs ranked in Top 10 nationwide - Public Universities, U.S.News and World Report, April 2009
  • No. 9 "Best Places for Business and Careers" - Smaller Metros, Forbes Magazine, March 2009
  • UI Children's Hospital is the 20th ranked pediatric hospital in America, Parents Magazine, February 2009

Area Rankings Pre-2009

  • "Best Places to Live and Launch," Fortune Small Business, March 2008
  • No. 2 "Best Places for Business and Careers" - Smaller Metros, Forbes Magazine, March 2008
  • Top 10 "Up-And-Coming Tech Cities 2008," Forbes Magazine, March 2008
  • Best Towns 2007, Outside Magazine, August 2007
  • 50 Best Places to Live and Play, National Geographic Adventure Magazine, August 2007
  • No. 5 "Best Smaller Metro," Forbes Magazine, April 2007
  • Top 10 "Most Affordable Places to Live & Work," Sperling's Best Places, March 2007
  • Best Affordable Suburbs, Businessweek, 2007