Most Educated Cities in Iowa (2026)

University Heights is the #1 ranked city in Iowa with 49.5% (bachelor's+). This ranking includes 289 Iowa cities with available data.

#1
University Heights
49.5%
Pop. 1,232
#2
Clive
40.6%
Pop. 18,776
#3
Coralville
38.5%
Pop. 22,846
#4
Fairfield
38.5%
Pop. 9,438
#5
West Des Moines
38.3%
Pop. 69,893
#6
Johnston
37.5%
Pop. 24,196
#7
Robins
37.0%
Pop. 3,349
#8
Tiffin
36.8%
Pop. 5,271
#9
Waukee
36.5%
Pop. 26,974
#10
Kent Estates
36.3%
Pop. 1,863
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All 289 Cities Ranked

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS
#CityPopulationBachelor's+
1University Heights1,23249.5%
2Clive18,77640.6%
3Coralville22,84638.5%
4Fairfield9,43838.5%
5West Des Moines69,89338.3%
6Johnston24,19637.5%
7Robins3,34937.0%
8Tiffin5,27136.8%
9Waukee26,97436.5%
10Kent Estates1,86336.3%
11Huxley4,44035.5%
12Eldridge6,74335.0%
13Urbandale46,02634.7%
14Bettendorf39,29734.6%
15Ankeny70,54233.9%
16North Liberty20,78233.7%
17Park View2,86133.5%
18Asbury5,94932.2%
19Iowa City75,26431.7%
20Polk City5,83331.4%
21Gilbert1,30031.3%
22Windsor Heights5,17131.1%
23Grimes15,81030.3%
24Bondurant8,06130.1%
25Ames66,11229.0%
26Treynor1,22828.6%
27Pella10,62428.6%
28Dike1,25828.4%
29Decorah7,59728.3%
30Adel6,25927.7%
31Cedar Falls40,66227.6%
32Marion41,69027.5%
33Denver2,21627.3%
34Norwalk13,61027.2%
35Hudson2,61427.1%
36Waverly10,44626.0%
37Story City3,36325.8%
38Van Meter1,46925.8%
39Lamoni2,12125.5%
40Williamsburg3,34725.5%
41Solon3,09225.4%
42Grinnell9,52725.0%
43Sergeant Bluff5,09024.8%
44Orange City6,31224.4%
45Mount Vernon4,55124.4%
46Ely2,03324.1%
47Fairfax2,86523.8%
48Le Claire4,71823.8%
49Roland1,45823.7%
50Lake View1,02123.5%
51Peosta1,92223.1%
52DeWitt5,53522.9%
53Slater1,49822.8%
54Wilton2,94322.7%
55Dubuque59,27122.7%
56Mediapolis1,93022.6%
57Swisher1,06422.6%
58Blue Grass1,86722.6%
59Spirit Lake5,46922.4%
60Granger1,91922.4%
61Cedar Rapids136,85922.3%
62Clear Lake7,60322.1%
63Sioux Center8,33521.8%
64Durant1,90421.8%
65Knoxville7,49321.8%
66Traer1,46421.6%
67Pleasant Hill10,79621.6%
68Walford1,31821.6%
69Altoona20,59221.3%
70Atkins2,34721.2%
71Kalona2,67921.1%
72Center Point2,57521.0%
73Indianola15,91820.8%
74Marcus1,23620.8%
75Parkersburg1,74720.7%
76Hiawatha7,17820.7%
77Saylorville3,55920.7%
78Nevada6,95220.7%
79Riverside1,04020.6%
80Davenport101,08320.5%
81Glenwood5,11820.0%
82Greene1,39019.9%
83Malvern1,41519.8%
84Vinton4,94819.7%
85St. Ansgar1,15619.7%
86Spencer11,39319.7%
87Springville1,21019.7%
88Jewell Junction1,22519.6%
89Holstein1,55219.5%
90Kingsley1,42719.3%
91Des Moines212,46419.3%
92Logan1,36219.2%
93Elkader1,24919.2%
94Bellevue2,25619.1%
95Britt1,91919.0%
96Earlham1,40619.0%
97Belmond2,67818.8%
98Garner3,06218.6%
99Prairie City1,64918.4%
100Wayland1,14018.4%
101Sumner2,15918.4%
102Janesville1,01218.4%
103Sac City1,78218.4%
104Lisbon1,78218.4%
105Manning1,47418.3%
106Carroll10,26118.1%
107Moville1,84018.0%
108Carlisle4,18717.9%
109Manson1,65317.9%
110Avoca1,36917.8%
111Dysart1,57517.6%
112Dallas Center2,05817.6%
113West Branch2,52617.6%
114Boone12,44517.5%
115Reinbeck1,80517.5%
116Osage3,57817.5%
117Glidden1,15317.4%
118Palo1,17317.3%
119Preston1,05717.2%
120Algona5,41417.2%
121Milford3,31517.2%
122Oskaloosa11,49217.2%
123Clarion2,77517.1%
124Epworth1,99117.1%
125Atlantic6,77317.1%
126Greenfield1,82617.1%
127Independence6,14916.9%
128Grundy Center2,79416.9%
129Conrad1,17016.8%
130Urbana1,62816.8%
131Sigourney1,86616.8%
132Madrid2,80316.7%
133Cascade2,56516.6%
134Mount Ayr1,73916.5%
135West Union2,39316.5%
136Humboldt4,76116.4%
137Aplington1,01216.4%
138Manchester5,14416.4%
139State Center1,54816.3%
140Burlington23,80016.3%
141Bloomfield2,72316.2%
142Audubon2,06916.1%
143Le Mars10,59716.1%
144Jefferson4,16416.0%
145Lake City1,65216.0%
146Albia3,68816.0%
147Corning1,57316.0%
148Pocahontas1,53615.9%
149Mount Pleasant9,09315.8%
150Sully1,09215.8%
151Creston7,46615.7%
152Tripoli1,25615.7%
153Iowa Falls5,06215.7%
154Wellman1,53915.7%
155Harlan4,89615.5%
156New Sharon1,14715.4%
157Mason City27,13515.3%
158Clinton24,42515.2%
159Ackley1,55415.2%
160Ida Grove1,90415.2%
161Fayette1,24215.1%
162Dyersville4,35715.1%
163Forest City4,28015.1%
164Sanborn1,51015.1%
165Larchwood1,07615.1%
166Waukon3,79615.0%
167Montezuma1,25715.0%
168Waterloo66,94714.9%
169Lone Tree1,28514.9%
170George1,04914.9%
171Hull2,24814.9%
172Council Bluffs62,56414.8%
173Webster City7,76914.8%
174Washington7,31414.8%
175Manly1,28814.6%
176Woodward1,00214.6%
177Jesup2,59614.5%
178Lansing1,11114.4%
179Nora Springs1,39414.2%
180Sheldon5,38614.1%
181Winterset5,38414.1%
182Cresco3,90114.1%
183Monticello4,05514.1%
184Fort Madison10,22114.1%
185Rock Rapids2,65314.0%
186Belle Plaine2,41214.0%
187Muscatine23,56714.0%
188Farley1,80913.9%
189Tipton3,11113.8%
190West Burlington3,18413.8%
191Walnut1,33913.7%
192Guthrie Center1,60313.7%
193Alton1,35013.6%
194Sioux City85,65113.6%
195Winthrop1,08113.6%
196Shenandoah4,91313.5%
197Griswold1,02013.5%
198Ogden1,90213.5%
199Colfax2,08913.4%
200Fairbank1,50913.4%
201Strawberry Point1,41513.4%
202Akron1,66013.4%
203Ottumwa25,35213.4%
204Oakland1,50013.4%
205Monroe2,07413.4%
206Newton15,69613.4%
207New London2,40213.4%
208Fort Dodge24,78813.3%
209Allison1,02813.3%
210Northwood2,17013.3%
211Pleasantville1,88313.3%
212Corydon1,56613.2%
213Sheffield1,20413.2%
214Alta2,34413.2%
215Anamosa5,55313.2%
216Wapello1,93513.1%
217Cherokee5,15713.1%
218Rock Valley4,06113.0%
219Walcott1,89512.9%
220Keosauqua1,01412.8%
221Panora1,52012.8%
222Lake Mills2,05412.6%
223New Hampton3,46212.6%
224Sibley2,82112.6%
225Marshalltown27,49112.5%
226Central City1,26612.5%
227Clarksville1,24812.4%
228Camanche4,56212.3%
229Melcher-Dallas1,22812.2%
230Baxter1,25112.2%
231Eldora2,62212.1%
232Keokuk9,74812.1%
233Winfield1,06512.0%
234Stuart1,64212.0%
235La Porte City2,17012.0%
236Maquoketa6,10512.0%
237Coon Rapids1,40312.0%
238Hawarden2,67411.9%
239Oelwein5,87811.9%
240Centerville5,37711.7%
241Emmetsburg3,65111.7%
242Eagle Grove3,58811.6%
243Dunlap1,31811.6%
244Shell Rock1,63411.4%
245Anita1,06011.3%
246Denison8,24711.3%
247Onawa2,86211.3%
248Storm Lake11,27511.2%
249Columbus Junction2,12911.0%
250Charles City7,32111.0%
251Toledo2,07911.0%
252Woodbine1,41810.9%
253Laurens1,23410.7%
254Rockwell City2,44910.6%
255Nashua1,63410.6%
256Lake Park1,19110.6%
257Red Oak5,54210.6%
258Fruitland1,10710.6%
259Monona1,61810.4%
260Villisca1,00410.4%
261Mitchellville2,55710.4%
262Newhall1,01210.3%
263Fredericksburg1,04010.2%
264Lenox1,47410.2%
265Guttenberg1,67510.1%
266Eddyville1,08510.1%
267Clarinda5,36610.0%
268West Liberty3,79510.0%
269Hartley1,5889.9%
270Perry7,9289.9%
271Brooklyn1,5659.8%
272Tama3,0799.7%
273Hampton4,3119.5%
274Estherville5,8659.3%
275Missouri Valley2,6859.3%
276Graettinger1,0389.0%
277Marengo2,8238.7%
278Neola1,0988.7%
279Buffalo1,0908.4%
280Chariton4,2358.4%
281Osceola5,4958.4%
282Bedford1,3898.3%
283Carter Lake3,7738.3%
284Leon1,7958.1%
285Remsen1,8978.1%
286Clarence1,2237.6%
287Postville2,7877.4%
288Hamburg1,0346.9%
289Evansdale4,5306.7%

Methodology

Cities in Iowa are ranked by bachelor's+. Only cities with populations above 1,000 are included. Data sourced from U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Last updated 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the #1 most educated cities in iowa?
University Heights ranks #1 with 49.5% (bachelor's+).
What are the top 5 most educated cities in iowa?
1. University Heights (49.5%), 2. Clive (40.6%), 3. Coralville (38.5%), 4. Fairfield (38.5%), 5. West Des Moines (38.3%)
How many cities in Iowa are ranked?
This ranking includes 289 cities in Iowa with available data.

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