North Liberty receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
North Liberty
Iowa City
Opportunity
90 · Top 1%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth
74 · Top 12%
vs53 · Top 45%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
56 · Bottom 48%
vs56 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs69 · Bottom 32%
Schools
62 · Top 37%
vs42 · Bottom 38%
Access
96 · Top 31%
vs92 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs46 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | North Liberty | Iowa City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,125 | 75,752 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $102,102 | $58,546 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,369 | $37,842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,216/sq mi | 2,940/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $303,800 | $285,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,246 | $1,094 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.9% | 47.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.5% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.1% | 26.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 341 | 155 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.1 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -26.3% | 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 | 11 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 18.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.7 | 26.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.98 | 13.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 73.7% | 59.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 70.9% | 62.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.7% | 47.5% | 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
North Liberty
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
Iowa City
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
North Liberty
77
Your Score
76
Area Score
Iowa City
62
Your Score
63
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: North Liberty, IA · Iowa City, IA · How this is calculated: methodology