The University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA

Macbride Hall houses the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History
The Old Capitol Building, built in 1842, is at the center of campus

The University of Iowa - Iowa City, IA Area Guide

Fight hard today and win for dear old gold

UI • Friendly • Proud • Energetic • Public Ivy • Welcoming • Historic • Scenic •

The University of Iowa is Iowa’s first and oldest university, founded in 1847. Regarded as a Public Ivy, UI is known for its balanced dedication to the arts, sciences, and humanities. One of the largest and most acclaimed medical centers in the country, the prestigious Iowa Writer’s Workshop, and over 200 different academic areas of study call UI home. Hawkeye pride runs deep, with sports teams competing in NCAA Division I as a part of the Big Ten Conference. There are plenty of apartments and townhomes to choose from near the University of Iowa. With a campus as large and spread out as UI’s, you might want to focus your housing search efforts near the buildings you visit the most often. College of Dentistry students and faculty should seek accommodations on the southwestern side of campus, near Finkbine Golf Course, whereas College of Business students and faculty should look around the northeastern side of campus, near the Old Capitol Museum.

Explore the College

Macbride Hall houses the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

The Old Capitol Building, built in 1842, is at the center of campus

Rent Trends

As of April 2026, the average apartment rent in Iowa City, IA is $1,107 for a studio, $1,039 for one bedroom, $1,281 for two bedrooms, and $1,703 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Iowa City has increased by 0.4% in the past year.

  • Studio

  • 536 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,107/month

    Average Rent

  • 1 BR

  • 635 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,039/month

    Average Rent

  • 2 BR

  • 872 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,281/month

    Average Rent

  • 3 BR

  • 1,147 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,703/month

    Average Rent

Getting Around

Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly The University of Iowa - Iowa City, IA (University) is for everyday living.

Moderately Walkable

Walkability

60 / 100

Exceptional Public Transit

Transit

90 / 100

Very Drivable

Drivability

80 / 100

Moderately Bikeable

Bikeability

70 / 100

Daily Essentials

The University of Iowa - Iowa City, IA (University) offers all daily essentials, but they’re limited to a few main areas.

Supermarket Within a 20 Minute Walk

Groceries

40 / 100

Good Restaurant Variety Nearby

Restaurants

60 / 100

Limited Café Variety Nearby

Cafes

30 / 100

Fair Variety of Shops Nearby

Shopping

50 / 100

Local Vibe

Get a sense of what it’s like to live in The University of Iowa - Iowa City, IA (University) from everyday activity to noise and nightlife.

Vibrant Atmosphere at Times

Vibrancy

40 / 100

Fair Nightlife Variety Nearby

Nightlife

40 / 100
Scores provided by

Schools

Lincoln Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

223 Students

8/10

Helen Lemme Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

391 Students

7/10

Bohumil Shimek Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

214 Students

7/10

Longfellow Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

385 Students

5/10

Alexander Elementary

Public

Grades PK-5

345 Students

5/10

Southeast Junior High School

Public

Grades 6-8

812 Students

5/10

Iowa City High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,599 Students

7/10

West Senior High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,503 Students

7/10

Elizabeth Tate Alt. High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1/10
School data provided by http://www.greatschools.org The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology Data provided by GreatSchools.org © 2026. All rights reserved.

Points of Interest

Shopping Centers

Parks and Recreation

  • UI Museum of Natural History
  • Iowa Children's Museum
  • MacBride Nature Recreation Area
  • Lake Macbride State Park

Military Bases

Airports

  • The Eastern Iowa

Colleges

Top Apartments Near The University of Iowa

The Banks Student Living

The Banks Student Living

104 E 7th St,
Coralville, IA 52241

$699 - $2,370

Studio - 4 Beds

Newton Pointe Apartments

Newton Pointe Apartments

1064 Newton Rd,
Iowa City, IA 52246

$1,425 Total Monthly Price

3 Beds | 12 Month Lease

Whiteway 2000

Whiteway 2000

210 S Clinton St,
Iowa City, IA 52240

$900 - $925

Studio

Replay

Replay

525 S Riverside Dr,
Iowa City, IA 52246

$1,089 - $2,019

1-3 Beds

Vogel House

Vogel House

255 Iowa Ave,
Iowa City, IA 52240

$1,150

Studio

IA City Lofts

IA City Lofts

627 Orchard Ct,
Iowa City, IA 52246

$780 - $1,350

Studio

Hawks Ridge

Hawks Ridge

100 Hawk Ridge Dr,
Iowa City, IA 52246

$575 - $795

2-4 Beds

River Ridge Place

River Ridge Place

199 6th St,
Coralville, IA 52241

$1,025 - $1,360

Studio - 1 Bed

Walden Ridge

Walden Ridge

2517 Sylvan Glen Ct,
Iowa City, IA 52246

$1,650

3 Beds

Houses Near The University of Iowa

365 Ellis Ave

365 Ellis Ave,
Iowa City, IA 52246

$1,400

3 Beds | 1 Bath

2111 Palmer Cir

2111 Palmer Cir,
Iowa City, IA 52240

$2,000

4 Beds | 2 Baths

503 Melrose Ct

503 Melrose Ct,
Iowa City, IA 52246

$2,750 Total Monthly Price

4 Beds | 2 Baths | 12 Month Lease

2762 Irving Ave

2762 Irving Ave,
Iowa City, IA 52246

$3,200 Total Monthly Price

3 Beds | 3.5 Baths | 3 Month Lease

610 4th Ave

610 4th Ave,
Iowa City, IA 52245

$2,000 Total Monthly Price

2 Beds | 1 Bath | 3 Month Lease

302 Melrose Ct

302 Melrose Ct,
Iowa City, IA 52246

$3,000 Total Monthly Price

4 Beds | 2 Baths | 12 Month Lease

View More Houses for Rent Near The University of Iowa

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.

Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.