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.

Combined, this region has been recognized annually as one of the most livable areas in the nation.

Area Rankings 2012

  • Iowa City #10 on "10 Best Cities for Singles" as ranked by Kiplinger (April 2012)
  • Johnson County is ranked third nationally in the "Fourth Economy Index" (April 2012)
  • The Iowa City Public Library is #5 on the "Top 10 Libraries for Children" list compiled by Livability.com (January 2012)
  • Included in the Top 25 "Best Places to Retire and Work" list (unranked) compiled by Forbes (January 2012)
  • University of Iowa is recognized several times in U.S. News & World Report's 2012 edition of Top Online Education Programs (January 2012)
  • "Top City for Starting Over in 2012," TheStreet.com (January 2012)

Area Rankings 2011

  • No. 8 in the Milken Institute’s Best Performing Cities Index, "Where America’s Jobs Are Created and Sustained," December 2011
  • University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics named a 2011-12 Consumer Choice Award by the National Research Corporation, November 2011 
  • #5 on the "Top 10 Cities for Book Lovers" list compiled by Livability.com, September 2011
  • The University of Iowa ranks 28th among the nation's best public universities, U.S.News & World Report, September 2011
  • North Liberty is recognized by CNN Money Magazine as a "Top 100 Small Town in America," August 2011
  • Iowa City ranks 3rd for volunteer rate (mid-size cities) - "Volunteering in America," Corporation for National & Community Service, August 2011
  • The University of Iowa has been designated a "Best Buy" in the Fiske Guide to Colleges and the UI is the only Big Ten school on the list, August 2011 
  • UI Hospitals and Clincs placed among the top hospitals in nine of 16 specialties, U.S.News and World Report, July 2011 
  • UI Hospital one of nation's "Most Wired" (recognized for heath information technology), Hospitals and Health Networks Magazine, July 2011
  • No. 13 Best Cities for Business and Careers (smaller metros), Forbes, July 2011
  • Iowa City's West High named best high school in Iowa, Newsweek, June 2011 
  • U.S.News ranks 24 UI programs among top 10 in nation among public universities, March 2011 
  • The University of Iowa is among the top 100 best values in higher education, according to Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, January 2011

Area Rankings - 2010

  • No. 9 in the Milken Institute’s Best Performing Cities Index, "Where America’s Jobs Are Created and Sustained," October 2010 
  • Iowa City was one of only 16 U.S. metros surpassing July peak employment totals from the previous five years, Garner Economics September 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 
  • No. 10, "Best Cities for College Grads," Richard Florida (author of the Creative Class), May 2010 
  • Forbes has ranked Iowa City number 2 on its most recent "Best Places for Business and Careers" list (smaller metros), April 2010 
  • "Healthiest Town in the United States," Men's Journal, February 2010 
  • "Top Towns for Jobs," MSN CareerBuilder, January 2010