State place rankings
Best Places in Iowa
Compare places by General Quality score or population. Each place links to its sourced facts, scores, and local summary.
General Quality score
Best overall places
- st
Bettendorf, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 40,710
- Median home value
- $306,500
- nd
Urbandale, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 48,570
- Median home value
- $335,500
- rd
- General Quality
- Population
- 21,976
- Median home value
- $303,800
- th
Ankeny, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 77,833
- Median home value
- $331,000
- th
Clive, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 19,861
- Median home value
- $401,100
- th
- General Quality
- Population
- 74,224
- Median home value
- $309,000
- th
Marion, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 42,732
- Median home value
- $241,700
- th
Johnston, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 25,065
- Median home value
- $369,100
- th
Coralville, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 23,960
- Median home value
- $298,500
- th
Pella, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 10,992
- Median home value
- $292,700
- th
Waukee, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 34,890
- Median home value
- $350,500
- th
Denver, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 1,954
- Median home value
- $229,200
- th
Waverly, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 10,561
- Median home value
- $223,300
- th
Iowa City, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 76,229
- Median home value
- $285,900
- th
- General Quality
- Population
- 1,177
- Median home value
- $429,900
- th
Cedar Falls, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 41,240
- Median home value
- $263,600
- th
Eldridge, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 6,954
- Median home value
- $350,500
- th
Norwalk, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 15,004
- Median home value
- $303,100
- th
Tiffin, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 7,156
- Median home value
- $338,500
- th
Polk City, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 6,630
- Median home value
- $414,800
- st
Glenwood, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 5,287
- Median home value
- $206,200
- nd
Grimes, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 17,405
- Median home value
- $304,700
- rd
Ames, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 68,220
- Median home value
- $277,400
- th
Huxley, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 4,715
- Median home value
- $297,100
- th
Mount Vernon, IA
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 4,514
- Median home value
- $245,200
How this list is ranked
Places are ordered by General Quality score. General Quality is a balanced livability composite spanning safety, affordability, healthcare, climate, education, jobs, mobility, outdoors, taxes, and other core factors.
Largest to smallest
Population-ranked places
- st
Des Moines, IA
City
- Population
- 212,086
- Median home value
- $194,700
- Median rent
- $1,090
- nd
Cedar Rapids, IA
City
- Population
- 137,935
- Median home value
- $187,100
- Median rent
- $967
- rd
Davenport, IA
City
- Population
- 100,358
- Median home value
- $166,400
- Median rent
- $978
- th
Sioux City, IA
City
- Population
- 86,356
- Median home value
- $173,600
- Median rent
- $976
- th
Ankeny, IA
City
- Population
- 77,833
- Median home value
- $331,000
- Median rent
- $1,319
- th
Iowa City, IA
City
- Population
- 76,229
- Median home value
- $285,900
- Median rent
- $1,094
- th
- Population
- 74,224
- Median home value
- $309,000
- Median rent
- $1,237
- th
Ames, IA
City
- Population
- 68,220
- Median home value
- $277,400
- Median rent
- $1,023
- th
Waterloo, IA
City
- Population
- 66,919
- Median home value
- $152,600
- Median rent
- $923
- th
- Population
- 62,680
- Median home value
- $171,800
- Median rent
- $1,030
- th
Dubuque, IA
City
- Population
- 59,148
- Median home value
- $204,800
- Median rent
- $948
- th
Urbandale, IA
City
- Population
- 48,570
- Median home value
- $335,500
- Median rent
- $1,211
- th
Marion, IA
City
- Population
- 42,732
- Median home value
- $241,700
- Median rent
- $961
- th
Cedar Falls, IA
City
- Population
- 41,240
- Median home value
- $263,600
- Median rent
- $1,203
- th
Bettendorf, IA
City
- Population
- 40,710
- Median home value
- $306,500
- Median rent
- $1,187
- th
Waukee, IA
City
- Population
- 34,890
- Median home value
- $350,500
- Median rent
- $1,383
- th
Marshalltown, IA
City
- Population
- 27,536
- Median home value
- $127,700
- Median rent
- $891
- th
Mason City, IA
City
- Population
- 26,853
- Median home value
- $142,000
- Median rent
- $882
- th
Ottumwa, IA
City
- Population
- 25,319
- Median home value
- $106,300
- Median rent
- $921
- th
Johnston, IA
City
- Population
- 25,065
- Median home value
- $369,100
- Median rent
- $1,338
- st
Fort Dodge, IA
City
- Population
- 24,837
- Median home value
- $144,100
- Median rent
- $785
- nd
Clinton, IA
City
- Population
- 24,049
- Median home value
- $118,200
- Median rent
- $791
- rd
Coralville, IA
City
- Population
- 23,960
- Median home value
- $298,500
- Median rent
- $1,057
- th
Burlington, IA
City
- Population
- 23,336
- Median home value
- $114,300
- Median rent
- $924
- th
Muscatine, IA
City
- Population
- 23,164
- Median home value
- $153,600
- Median rent
- $974
How this list is ranked
Places are ordered by their latest available population estimate. Incorporated places and census-designated places are both eligible when they appear in the published location data.
Annual Census population estimates are used where available; ACS place estimates fill coverage gaps.