Educational Attainment
Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa and a small Kirkwood Community College campus. The population increases during the months when the two schools are in session. Iowa City is tied with Stamford, Connecticut, for the U.S. metropolitan area with the highest percentage of adult population holding a bachelor's degree or higher. Close to half of the populace have a Bachelor's degree or higher due to the graduates, professors, and other degree-wielding individuals living in the city. For ages 25 years and over, high school diplomas have been earned by 94.8 percent of the population group, Bachelor's degrees or higher by 55.9 percent of the population group, and Graduate or professional degrees by 27.8 percent of those 25 years and older. Industries
Iowa City's economy is as diverse as it is prosperous and the city has received numerous rankings and awards as a "Best Place" for business and quality of life.
In 2004, Forbes
Magazine named Iowa City the third Best Small Metropolitan Area in the United States. In June 2006, Kiplinger's Personal Finance rated Iowa City number ten on its list of the Top 50 Smart Places to Live. The leading industries in Iowa City representing 42 percent of the total are education and health and social services. Retail trade represents 11 percent; arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services represent 10 percent of the industrial base (as of 2006 census estimates). The total number of firms in 2007 was 4,186. The economy is based on thriving commerce, a major university, and a number of national and international businesses. The University of Iowa is the city's largest employer. The academic and research missions of the university, along with the health care services provided at its hospitals and clinics, have a tremendously positive economic impact on the area. The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) is the state's only comprehensive tertiary care center. The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center in Iowa City is an NCI-designated Cancer Center, one of fewer than 60 in the country. Pearson, Oral B Laboratories, Procter & Gamble, the corporate headquarters for ACT Inc., and scores of smaller industries and businesses operate facilities in Iowa City. All of these businesses help Iowa City maintain a vibrant business environment.
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