Who moves to Iowa City, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Johnson County, IA, home of Iowa City, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 7,088from other US counties
- Moved out
- 8,165to other US counties
- Net
- −1,077more departures than arrivals
- From abroad
- 57tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Linn County, IA (Cedar Rapids) | 935 |
| Polk County, IA (Des Moines) | 297 |
| Scott County, IA (Davenport) | 223 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 196 |
| Washington County, IA | 193 |
| Muscatine County, IA | 187 |
| Cedar County, IA | 149 |
| Iowa County, IA | 107 |
| Black Hawk County, IA | 106 |
| Rock Island County, IL | 79 |
| Des Moines County, IA | 78 |
| Dubuque County, IA | 77 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Linn County, IA (Cedar Rapids) | 1,141 |
| Polk County, IA (Des Moines) | 348 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 294 |
| Washington County, IA | 279 |
| Scott County, IA (Davenport) | 220 |
| Cedar County, IA | 190 |
| Iowa County, IA | 169 |
| Muscatine County, IA | 159 |
| Hennepin County, MN (Minneapolis) | 143 |
| Dallas County, IA | 107 |
| Dane County, WI (Madison) | 95 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 94 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 3,426 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in Iowa and 3,662 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Polk County, IA (Des Moines) | 297 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 196 |
| Dallas County, IA | 68 |
| DuPage County, IL (Naperville) | 66 |
| Hennepin County, MN (Minneapolis) | 62 |
| Harris County, TX (Houston) | 48 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 46 |
| Dane County, WI (Madison) | 46 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Polk County, IA (Des Moines) | 348 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 294 |
| Hennepin County, MN (Minneapolis) | 143 |
| Dallas County, IA | 107 |
| Dane County, WI (Madison) | 95 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 94 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 75 |
| DuPage County, IL (Naperville) | 73 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Iowa City come from?
Most people moving into Johnson County, IA come from nearby counties, led by Linn County, IA (935 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Polk County, IA.
Where do people leaving Iowa City move to?
The top destination is Linn County, IA (1,141 people). Farther away, the most popular is Polk County, IA.
Are more people moving to Iowa City or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 7,088 people moved into Johnson County, IA from elsewhere in the US and 8,165 moved out, a net loss of 1,077 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Iowa City with any city it trades people with, like Iowa City vs Des Moines, Iowa City vs Chicago, Iowa City vs Naperville, Iowa City vs Minneapolis.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Iowa City.