Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city of 75,752 people in Johnson County, Iowa, founded in 1839.
Why visit Iowa City
Townapedia lists 95 museums and landmarks, 89 parks and trails, 207 places to eat, 26 places to stay and 9 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Benton Street Bridge, Marcus Sycamore Cinema, Brown Street Historic District and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Passenger Station.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 15°F.
Weather in Iowa City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Iowa City
Iowa City is the largest city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 74,828 at the 2020 census, making it the state's fifth-most populous city. The Iowa City metropolitan area, which encompasses Johnson and Washington counties, has a population of over 171,000. The metro area is also a part of a combined statistical area with the Cedar Rapids metro area known as the Iowa City–Cedar Rapids region; collectively, this region has a population of nearly 500,000.
From the Wikipedia article Iowa City, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do9
Benton Street Bridge
Bridge · 0.5 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Museums and landmarks95
Brown Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic district in Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Passenger Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Former M&M RR station in Iowa City, Iowa
College Green Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Nationally recognized historic district located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Congregational United Church of Christ
Monument and historic site · Evangelical · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Church building in Iowa, United States of America
Englert Theatre
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Theater and arts center in Iowa City, Iowa
First Johnson County Asylum
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic building located on the far west side of Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Gilbert-Linn Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Nationally recognized historic district located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Jefferson Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Nationally recognized historic district located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Johnson County Poor Farm and Asylum Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic district in Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Longfellow Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic district in Iowa, United States
Muscatine Avenue Moffitt Cottage Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic district in Iowa, US
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Pentacrest
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
District in Iowa City, Iowa
83 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds89
77 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes207
Midnight Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.5 mi
925 East 2nd Avenue, Coralville
Mo-Fr 07:00-19:00; Sa 08:00-19:00; PH closed; Su 08:00-17:00
Big Grove Brewery
Bar and pub · 0.6 mi
1225 South Gilbert Street, Iowa City
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-23:00
Brothers Bar and Grill
Bar and pub
125 South Debuque Street
Mo-Fr 11:00-02:00; Sa 15:00-02:00; Su 19:00-02:00
Power Cafe
Cafe · 0.4 mi
309 South Madison Street, Iowa City
Mo-Fr 07:00-23:00; Sa,Su 08:00-23:00; PH off
195 more on the map.
History
Iowa City was created by an act of the Legislative Assembly of the Iowa Territory on January 21, 1839, fulfilling the desire of Governor Robert Lucas to move the capital out of Burlington and closer to the center of the territory. This act began:
An Act to locate the Seat of Government of the Territory of Iowa ... so soon as the place shall be selected, and the consent of the United States obtained, the commissioners shall proceed to lay out a town to be called "Iowa City".
Commissioners Chauncey Swan and John Ronalds met on May 1 in the small settlement of Napoleon, south of present-day Iowa City, to select a site for the new capital city. The following day, the commissioners selected a site on bluffs above the Iowa River north of Napoleon, placed a stake in the center of the proposed site and began planning the new capital city. Commissioner Swan, in a report to the legislature in Burlington, described the site:
Iowa City is located on a section of land lying in the form of an amphitheater. There is an eminence on the west near the river, running parallel with it.
By June of that year, the town had been platted and surveyed from Brown St. in the north to Burlington St. in the south, and from the Iowa River eastward to Governor St.
From the History section of Iowa City, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay26
Homewood Suites by Hilton Coralville - Iowa River Landing
Motel and hotel · 2.5 mi
921 East 2nd Avenue, Coralville
Hyatt Regency Coralville Hotel & Conference Center
Motel and hotel · 2.3 mi
300 East 9th Street, Coralville
Churches and places of worship57
Iowa City Seventh-day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.4 mi
1007 Rider Street, Iowa City
Shopping43
Gas and EV charging35
Schools, colleges and libraries52
Healthcare34
Coralville, IA VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.9 mi
510 10th Avenue, Coralville
Westlawn - Student Health Services
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.8 mi
4189 Westlawn South, Iowa City
Map of Iowa City
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 15°F | 1.0 in |
| Feb | 36°F | 18°F | 1.2 in |
| Mar | 50°F | 30°F | 2.2 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 40°F | 3.8 in |
| May | 73°F | 52°F | 4.5 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 62°F | 5.3 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 3.9 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 63°F | 3.9 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 54°F | 3.2 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 42°F | 3.0 in |
| Nov | 49°F | 30°F | 2.2 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 20°F | 1.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Iowa City Muni Ap (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Johnson County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-08-17: Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2014-08-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2013-07-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2013-05-31: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Iowa City Municipal Airport (IOW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- University Heights 1 mi west, about 2 min by car
- Coralville 5 mi northwest, about 7 min by car
- North Liberty 7 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Tiffin 7 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Hills 7 mi south, about 11 min by car
- Cedar Rapids 23 mi north, about 36 min by car
- Davenport 48 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Rock Island 51 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Moline 55 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Bettendorf 55 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Iowa City Clinton St, Billwhittaker ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Close house iowa city, Billwhittaker at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Midwest One Bank Building, Clinton Street and Harrison Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369501570, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Midwest One Bank Building, Clinton Street and Harrison Street, Iowa City, IA - 54368230412, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Midwest One Bank Building, Clinton Street and Harrison Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369501790, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Midwest One Bank Building, Clinton Street and Harrison Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369099766, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Midwest One Bank Building, Clinton Street and Harrison Street, Iowa City, IA, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369313584, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369501300, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369341338, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369098901, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369098971, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369313969, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54368229537, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369340863, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54368229692, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369313749, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369341243, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369341633, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369099241, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369313554, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Johnson County Courthouse, Clinton Street and Court Street, Iowa City, IA - 54369313614, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Iowa City Community Recreation Center 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Trinity - Iowa City, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Moffitt cottages, Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- WELDON HISTORIC DISTRICT, JOHNSON COUNTY, IA, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old Capitol Iowa City, Billwhittaker ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Brown Historical District 3, Zachary Roper, CC BY-SA 3.0
- College Green Park Gazebo, Zachary Roper, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Iowa City train station, Ron Reiring, CC BY 2.0
- Congregational United Church of Christ (Iowa City, Iowa) - cropped, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- FJCtyAsylum2014-10-04 2, Highlandia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FJCtyAsylum2014-10-04, Highlandia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- LONG FELLOW HISTORIC DISTRICT, JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, JR, CC BY-SA 4.0
- SUI Isolation Hospital, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gilbert-Linn Historical District 3, Zachary Roper, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bohumil Shimek House, Zachary Roper, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hawthorne Glove and Novelty Company-Shrader Drug Company Building-1, MRobison, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ICchurch, NWS - Quad Cities, Public domain
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