• Renter Tools
    • Favorites
    • Saved Searches
  • Manage Rentals
  • Apartments For Rent
    • Cedar Falls Apartments For Rent
    • Cedar Rapids Apartments For Rent
    • Coralville Apartments For Rent
    • Dubuque Apartments For Rent
    • Hiawatha Apartments For Rent
    • Iowa City Apartments For Rent
    • Marion Apartments For Rent
    • North Liberty Apartments For Rent
    • Tiffin Apartments For Rent
    • Waterloo Apartments For Rent
  • Houses For Rent
    • Cedar Falls Houses For Rent
    • Cedar Rapids Houses For Rent
    • Coralville Houses For Rent
    • Dubuque Houses For Rent
    • Iowa City Houses For Rent
    • Marion Houses For Rent
    • North Liberty Houses For Rent
    • Oelwein Houses For Rent
    • Tiffin Houses For Rent
    • University Heights Houses For Rent
  • Condos For Rent
    • Cedar Falls Condos For Rent
    • Cedar Rapids Condos For Rent
    • Coralville Condos For Rent
    • Dubuque Condos For Rent
    • Hiawatha Condos For Rent
    • Iowa City Condos For Rent
    • Lisbon Condos For Rent
    • Marion Condos For Rent
    • North Liberty Condos For Rent
    • Robins Condos For Rent
  • Townhomes For Rent
    • Asbury Townhomes For Rent
    • Cedar Falls Townhomes For Rent
    • Cedar Rapids Townhomes For Rent
    • Coralville Townhomes For Rent
    • Dubuque Townhomes For Rent
    • Hiawatha Townhomes For Rent
    • Iowa City Townhomes For Rent
    • North Liberty Townhomes For Rent
    • Tiffin Townhomes For Rent
    • Waterloo Townhomes For Rent
  • Help Center
  • Cost of Living in Iowa City
  • Area Guide
  • Rent Calculator
  • Property Management Companies

Language

Apartments.com Logo
Manage Rentals      Sign Up / Sign In
Add a Property

Rental Market Trends in Iowa City, IA

What is the average rent in Iowa City, IA?

$1,039/month

Average Rent

635 Sq Ft

Average Apartment Size

+1.9%

Increase in the Last Year

As of March 2026, the average rent in Iowa City, IA is $1,039 per month. This is 36% lower than the national average rent of $1,627/month, making renting in Iowa City more affordable than most cities in the US. When you rent an apartment in Iowa City, you can expect to pay about $1,105 per month for a studio, $1,039 for a one-bedroom apartment, and around $1,280 for a two-bedroom apartment. If you opt for a three-bedroom rental, you could pay $1,705 or more.

Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Studio
$1,105/month
539 Sq Ft
One Bedroom
$1,039/month
635 Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$1,280/month
872 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$1,705/month
1,128 Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
One Bedroom
$1,131/month
404 Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$1,372/month
883 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$2,061/month
1,428 Sq Ft
Four Bedroom
$2,809/month
2,024 Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
One Bedroom
$1,148/month
901 Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$1,286/month
805 Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$1,735/month
1,331 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$2,063/month
1,575 Sq Ft

How much has average rent changed in Iowa City, IA?

In the past year, rent has increased by 1.9%, which averages out to $20 more per month.

Market Trends Over Time   The chart below compares average rent prices to the previous year during the same time period.
Last Updated March 2026
Legend
2025 2026
Market Trends Over Time
Rent Ranges in Iowa City, IA
Last Updated March 2026
$1,001 - $1,500
Most rental prices fall within this range
Rent Ranges in Iowa City, IA
Percentage*
Rent Range
6% Below $700/month
21% $700 - $1,000/month
50% $1,001 - $1,500/month
16% $1,501 - $2,000/month
8% Above $2,000/month

Rent by Neighborhood

Last Updated Today
  • Most Affordable
  • Most Expensive
  • Most Available

What are the most affordable neighborhoods in Iowa City?

Based on current rent prices, Northside, Northside Historic District and Roosevelt are the most affordable neighborhoods in Iowa City.

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Northside
$1,000/month
565 Sq Ft
Northside Historic District
$1,000/month
565 Sq Ft
Roosevelt
$1,129/month
648 Sq Ft
South Iowa City
$1,148/month
639 Sq Ft
Downtown Iowa City
$1,338/month
752 Sq Ft
Riverfront Crossing
$1,450/month
791 Sq Ft

What are the most expensive neighborhoods in Iowa City?

Based on current rent prices, Riverfront Crossing, Downtown Iowa City and South Iowa City are the most expensive neighborhoods in Iowa City.

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Riverfront Crossing
$1,450/month
791 Sq Ft
Downtown Iowa City
$1,338/month
752 Sq Ft
South Iowa City
$1,148/month
639 Sq Ft
Roosevelt
$1,129/month
648 Sq Ft
Northside
$1,000/month
565 Sq Ft
Northside Historic District
$1,000/month
565 Sq Ft

Which Iowa City neighborhoods have the most rentals available?

The neighborhoods in Iowa City with the most apartments available are South Iowa City, Downtown Iowa City and Riverfront Crossing .

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
South Iowa City
$1,148/month
639 Sq Ft
Downtown Iowa City
$1,338/month
752 Sq Ft
Riverfront Crossing
$1,450/month
791 Sq Ft
Roosevelt
$1,129/month
648 Sq Ft
Northside
$1,000/month
565 Sq Ft
Northside Historic District
$1,000/month
565 Sq Ft
This information is based on data collected by CoStar Group researchers.†

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

Because the average rent in Iowa City is $1,039, you’ll want to make about $3,463 per month or $41,556 per year. The general guideline is to pay no more than 30 percent of your monthly income on rent. However, you’ll want to consider additional factors, such as your monthly bills and other expenses. Use our rent affordability calculator to help determine how much to budget for rent.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Iowa City, IA is 7.4% lower than the national average. Generally, housing in Iowa City is 21.1% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $1,039 - $1,705. You can expect to pay 2.8% less for groceries, 14.0% less for utilities, and 4.4% more for transportation.

City

Iowa City, IA

1,001 Available Apartments for Rent

Search for Nearby Apartments

How does Iowa City, IA compare to other nearby cities and neighborhoods?

Use the tool below to compare Iowa City, IA to other nearby cities and neighborhoods. The Apartments.com neighborhood guides provide you with insight into the area’s transportation, things to do, and more.

Explore the Area Guide for Iowa City, IA

Apartment Averages

Northside

Iowa City, IA

Riverfront Crossing

Iowa City, IA

Studio
$1,014/month
-
One Bedroom
$1,052/month
-
Two Bedroom
$1,217/month
-
Three Bedroom
$1,530/month
-
Search
Search

Nearby City Rent Trends

  • Coralville Average Rent
  • Tiffin Average Rent
  • North Liberty Average Rent

Apartment communities in Iowa City we think you'll love

The Hunt Club

The Hunt Club

500 Hunt Club Dr,
Tiffin, IA 52340

Call for Rent

2 Beds

The Quarters Iowa City

The Quarters Iowa City

2401 Highway 6 E,
Iowa City, IA 52240

$695 - $1,390

1-3 Beds

Pinnacle Square

Pinnacle Square

327-327 Sycamore Dr,
West Branch, IA 52358

$1,050 - $1,450

1-2 Beds

The Horizons 202 Sycamore Dr.

The Horizons 202 Sycamore Dr.

202-204 Sycamore Dr,
West Branch, IA 52358

$1,320

2 Beds

Property Management Companies in Iowa City, IA

The Tailwind Group
The Tailwind Group
  • 23

    Communities

  • 6,959

    Units

  • 18

    Cities

2 Communities in Iowa City
Haverkamp Group
Haverkamp Group
  • 20

    Communities

  • 3,930

    Units

  • 9

    Cities

2 Communities in Iowa City
High Properties
High Properties
  • 11

    Communities

  • 1,115

    Units

  • 4

    Cities

2 Communities in Iowa City
Greystar
Greystar
  • 3,485

    Communities

  • 958,447

    Units

  • 897

    Cities

1 Community in Iowa City
Monarch Investment and Management Group
Monarch Investment and Management Group
  • 315

    Communities

  • 76,967

    Units

  • 144

    Cities

1 Community in Iowa City
Perry Reid Properties
Perry Reid Properties
  • 53

    Communities

  • 6,543

    Units

  • 35

    Cities

1 Community in Iowa City
Ludwig and Company
Ludwig and Company
  • 26

    Communities

  • 3,332

    Units

  • 22

    Cities

1 Community in Iowa City
One Property Management
One Property Management
  • 11

    Communities

  • 642

    Units

  • 4

    Cities

1 Community in Iowa City

Learn More with Helpful Articles

When Is the Best Time to Move?

The pros and cons of moving during each season.

How to Choose an Apartment Community You’ll Love

Avoid renter's remorse - know what to look for in your next apartment.

9 Money Saving Tips for Relocating

Save money and start fresh using these tips and tricks.

The Benefits of Renters Insurance

Better safe than sorry! Protect yourself(and your stuff) with renters insurance.

Explore the Renterverse

Rental management, simplified

Our all-in-one suite of property manangement software makes the rental process easy. Screen tenants, manage payments, and more – all on Apartments.com

Start managing your rentals
United States Iowa Iowa City Rental Trends

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.

* Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Legal Notices
  • Privacy Notice
  • Avoid Scams
  • Accessibility
  • Blog
  • Sitemap
apartments.com
© 2026 CoStar Group, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity

Equal Housing Opportunity

© 2026 CoStar Group, Inc.

Equal Housing Opportunity