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Average Rent in Iowa City, IA

5 apartment buildings, 68 units. Real asking prices, refreshed daily.

Avg Rent

$1,316/mo

Cheapest

$650/mo

Properties

5

Units

68

Iowa City, IA Resident Access

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Analysis

Rent Price Breakdown

Compare pricing across all 5 properties in Iowa City, IA.

Average Rent by Property

Starting Price vs Average

Rent by Bedroom Count

Price per Square Foot

Iowa City, IA Rent Prices

All 5 properties ranked by lowest available rent.

Explore Each Property

Iowa City, IA Average Rent Prices 2026

The average rent in Iowa City, IA is $1,316 per month, based on 68 units across 5 apartment communities. Prices range from $650 at PACE Property Management to $1,205 at The Nest Iowa City.

Average Rent by Bedroom Type

Type Avg Rent Starting From Units
Studio $1,132/mo $850/mo 8
1 Bed $1,067/mo $650/mo 17
2 Bed $1,309/mo $955/mo 32
3 Bed $1,738/mo $1,205/mo 9
4 Bed $2,398/mo $2,100/mo 2

Every price comes directly from each property's leasing system, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.

Market Context

Who rents in Iowa City, IA, and what they pay

Tracked one-bedroom rent in Iowa City, IA averages $1,067/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $1,309/mo. At the local median household income of $57,533, that works out to 27% of gross income, near the 30 percent affordability ceiling.

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Iowa City, IA at $1,094/mo. The current tracked market average runs 20% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in Iowa City, IA while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Iowa City, IA?

Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Minimum to afford average rent

$53,000/year

30 percent rule -- using our average rent of $1,316/mo.

Comfortable income

$63,000/year

25 percent rule -- leaves more room for savings, transport, and groceries.

To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($650/mo), you need to earn at least $26,000/year.

Median household income in Iowa City, IA is $57,533 , about 9% below the comfortable-living threshold.

Cost of living in Iowa City, IA

Overall prices in Iowa City, IA runs below the national average by about 8% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 91.9, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Iowa City, IA's regional price parities.

Category Monthly estimate
Rent (market average) $1,316
Utilities $351
Groceries $522
Transportation $836
Healthcare $408
Other goods and services $652
Estimated total $4,085/mo

Population

75,264

Median household income

$57,533

Census median rent

$1,094/mo

Rent as % of income

37.6%

Median age

26.3

Mean commute

18 min

Methodology

Rent data

Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.

Cost of living

Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.

Salary to live comfortably

Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Demographic figures

Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.

Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.

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Nearby cities in Iowa

How Iowa City, IA rent compares to other markets in the state.

City Avg Rent vs Iowa City, IA Properties
Des Moines, IA $1,203 -9% 9
Sioux City, IA $1,031 -22% 8
Davenport, IA $1,096 -17% 7
Waterloo, IA $1,122 -15% 5
Cedar Rapids, IA $923 -30% 5

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Iowa City, IA?

The average rent in Iowa City, IA is $1,316 per month, based on 68 units across 5 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are updated every morning through our proprietary data sourcing.

What is the cheapest apartment rent in Iowa City, IA?

The lowest available rent in Iowa City, IA starts at $650 per month. Availability changes daily as leasing data is refreshed each morning.

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Iowa City, IA?

1-bedroom apartments in Iowa City, IA average $1,067/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $650/mo across 17 units tracked.

How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Iowa City, IA?

2-bedroom apartments in Iowa City, IA average $1,309/mo. Units start from $955/mo across 32 units currently listed.

Rent Trends in Iowa City, IA

Track how apartment prices are changing over time.

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