52246 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
52240
52246
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs82 · Top 6%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
59 · Bottom 13%
vs59 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
56 · Bottom 47%
vs56 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 34%
vs69 · Bottom 34%
Schools
45 · Bottom 42%
vs59 · Top 40%
Access
90 · Bottom 40%
vs92 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 27%
vs51 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 52240 | 52246 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,074 | 22,308 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,960 | $62,521 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,340 | $46,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 247/sq mi | 1,335/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $242,300 | $348,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,047 | $1,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.1% | 45.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.6% | 67.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.3% | 24.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 155 | 155 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.6% | 0.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.7" | 35.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.8 min | 19.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.6 | 28.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.57 | 14.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.4% | 66.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.2% | 66.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 56.3% | 44.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
52240
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
52246
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
Full profiles: 52240 — Iowa City, IA · 52246 — Iowa City, IA · How this is calculated: methodology