Area data
Iowa City, IA — ZIP 52242
Population: 4,688 (Census ACS)
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural-hazard risk Relatively Moderate, with strongwind, coldwave, hail the top-rated hazards. Cost of living is 12.2% below the US average (BEA, metro/state-level).
Home values & appreciation
- House Price Index (state)
- 379.0 (+3.7% YoY)
Sources: home value index (ZIP-level) · FHFA House Price Index (state-level)
Affordability
- Cost of living index (Low)
- 87.8 (100 = US avg)
- Electricity rate (state-level)
- 13.7¢/kWh
- Natural gas rate (state-level)
- $10.60/MCF
- 30-year mortgage rate (national)
- 6.66%
- 15-year mortgage rate (national)
- 6.00%
Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro/state-level) · EIA energy rates (state-level) · Freddie Mac PMMS (national)
Natural hazards & flood risk
- Overall hazard risk (county)
- Relatively Moderate
- Top hazards (county)
- strongWind, coldWave, hail, tornado, winterWeather
- Notable hazard ratings (county)
- coldWave: Relatively High · drought: Relatively Moderate · hail: Relatively High · heatWave: Relatively Moderate · iceStorm: Relatively Moderate · inlandFlooding: Relatively Moderate
- Wildfire risk to homes (county)
- Higher than 38% of US counties
- Buildings in wildfire direct-exposure zone
- 30.4%
- Radon potential (county)
- High radon potential — EPA Zone 1 of 3
- EPA Superfund (NPL) sites within 5 mi
- None
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (county-level) · FEMA flood data (ZIP-level) · USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (county-level) · EPA radon zones + Superfund NPL
Climate (30-year normals)
- Average annual temperature
- 50.0°F
- Average high
- 60.5°F
- Average low
- 39.5°F
- Annual precipitation
- 39.3 in
- Annual snowfall
- 28.0 in
- USDA plant hardiness zone
- 5b (extreme annual low -15 to -10°F)
Sources: NOAA Climate Normals (30-year, nearest-station) · USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
Air quality
- Air quality rating
- Good
- Median AQI (annual)
- 39
- Days with Good air quality
- 259
- Days with Moderate air quality
- 107
- Highest AQI recorded (year)
- 83
Source: EPA air quality data (nearest monitoring station, annual)
Amenities
- National parks within ~60 mi
- 1
- Nearest national park
- Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (11 mi)
- Airports within 30 mi
- 15
- Nearest airport
- Picayune Airport (3 mi)
- Nearest major airport
- The Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) (13 mi)
- Hospitals nearby (~15 mi)
- 1
- Hospitals include
- UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HOSPITAL & CLINICS
- Avg hospital rating (CMS)
- 3.0 / 5
- Best hospital rating nearby (CMS)
- 3.0 / 5
- EV charging stations (within 10 mi)
- 93
- Solar radiation rating
- Fair (3.9 kWh/m²/day)
Sources: National Park Service · FAA airport data · CMS hospital data · DOE/NREL (proximity-based)
Housing stock
- Housing built before 1970
- 61.9%
- Housing built 2000 or later
- 0.0%
- Households with broadband internet
- 61.9%
Source: Census ACS 5-year estimates (ZIP-level)
Employment & development
- Total county employment
- 52,214
- Average weekly wage
- $993
- Top industries (by employment)
- Health Care, Accommodation & Food, Professional Services
- Annual residential building permits (county)
- 492
Sources: BLS QCEW (county-level) · Census Building Permits (county-level)
Area data compiled from public government, academic, and industry research feeds. Data sources →
Common questions
- What is the natural-hazard risk in ZIP 52242?
- Overall risk: Relatively Moderate (FEMA NRI, county-level). Top hazards: strongWind, coldWave, hail, tornado, winterWeather.
- What is the wildfire risk in ZIP 52242?
- Risk to homes is higher than 38% of US counties (USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities, county-level).
- What is the radon potential in ZIP 52242?
- High radon potential — EPA Zone 1 of 3, county-level. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.
- Are there Superfund sites near ZIP 52242?
- No current or proposed National Priorities List sites within 5 miles (EPA).
- What is the air quality in ZIP 52242?
- Good. Median AQI: 39. (EPA AQI).
- What is the cost of living in ZIP 52242?
- Regional Price Parity: 87.8 (100 = US average) (Low) (BEA RPP, metro/state-level).
Nearby ZIP codes
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Data last updated
Most recent source refresh: Sep 2026. See all data sources →