Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Iowa City
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
Opportunity
90 · Top 1%
vs88 · Top 2%
Growth
84 · Top 3%
vs91 · Top 1%
Climate
59 · Bottom 22%
vs73 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
57 · Top 48%
vs59 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
90 · Bottom 36%
vs91 · Bottom 42%
Access
87 · Top 30%
vs92 · Top 20%
Economic stability
67 · Top 29%
vs78 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Iowa City | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 179,200 | 577,726 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,088 | $81,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,369 | $42,582 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 152/sq mi | 220/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $293,600 | $307,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,097 | $1,157 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.2% | 62.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.1% | 35.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.9% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,374 | 9,469 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.7 | 16.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 21.9% | 12.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.7" | 47.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.1 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Iowa City
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, tornado.
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Iowa City
76
Your Score
77
Area Score
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
82
Your Score
81
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Iowa City, IA Metro Area · Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology