Dubuque gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $248K, 3.2 years of the Dubuque metro’s $78K median household income. It grades C+ overall, ranked 96th of 140 in Iowa. The low prices come with trade-offs. Its public schools trail 79% of Iowa towns on state tests and graduation, and its police reported 235 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 75% of U.S. towns. On the plus side, it is more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 96% of U.S. towns, with 68 places on the National Register. 61% of working residents work locally in Dubuque, against 31% in Iowa’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Dubuque County Jail and WILLIAM M. BLACK (dredge).

StrongestA⁺History A⁻Walkability A⁻OutdoorsWeakestC⁻Schools CSafety

What makes Dubuque stand out

Where Dubuque beats most towns.

Dubuque County Jail

HistoryA⁺

Chartered in 1833

A history going back 193 years.

Biggest of 5

College	Students
University of Dubuque	1,736
Loras College	1,185
Clarke University	950

Colleges in town

5 colleges

4,210 students on campus

WalkabilityA⁻

More walkable than 81% of U.S. towns

4.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

Dubuque County Jail · National Register of Historic Places

Dubuque’s story

193 years in pictures

Dubuque County Jail is one of 2 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1833, comes before those of 97% of the Iowa towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 3,108 in 1850, 59,667 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1854 and 3 maps from 1961 on.

68 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1833Dubuque is chartered

Explore the history →

How Dubuque grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Dubuque is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.3 of 20; 8.1% of households have no carA⁻Open →SchoolsC⁻Open →SafetyCOpen →HealthMercyone Dubuque Medical Center 1.7 miles awayB⁺Open →Cost of livingBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 39% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →Jobs & income$66K median household income; 40,592 jobs based hereC⁺Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors8% conserved landA⁻Open →HistoryChartered 1833; 43 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life3.5 library visits per resident; 5.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market25 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.1–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Dubuque: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Dubuque, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterDubuque Water WorksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet9 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressPay per bag · day by addressTown site

SchoolsDubuque Community School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereDubuque County AuditorDubuque County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2026

ZIP codes52001, 52003, 5200252001 69% · 52003 16% · 52002 15%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Dubuque.

SchoolsC⁻

Dubuque’s grade for schools is a C−

Its public schools are run by the Dubuque Community School District. Three of its 24 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

21%of IA districts it outscoresC⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Eleanor Roosevelt Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	1,081	B⁺
Hempstead High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,499	B⁻
Carver Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–5	Grades PK–5	499	A⁻

Full pageDubuque’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsDubuque Comm School District Vs. the neighborsBehind its graded neighbor Every school24 schools · Eisenhower Elementary School Questions“Are Dubuque’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation

SafetyC

Dubuque’s grade for safety is a C

The violent crime rate in Dubuque is 4 per 1,000 residents. Dubuque reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 75% report less. The property crime rate in Dubuque is 15.2 per 1,000 residents.

25%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade

	Dubuque	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	4 per 1,000 residents	1.5	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	15.2 per 1,000 residents	7.2	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Dubuque4

Iowa2.4

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Dubuque15.2

Iowa12

U.S.15.5

25th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

16th

percentile among IA towns

235

violent crimes reported in 2025

893

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageDubuque’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type4 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsSteady since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its graded neighbor Questions“Is Dubuque, IA safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

OutdoorsA⁻

Dubuque has set aside 8.1% of its land for conservation

15 miles of trail in 55 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Eagle Point Park, at 127 acres.

#53for trails in IA

	Dubuque	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Conserved land	8.1%	3.1%	4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile	0.5 miles per square mile	0.3	0.4

8.1%

conserved · 1,671 of 20,598 acres

15 mi

of trails · 0.5 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Veterans Memorial Park	1.5 mi	73
2. Marshall Park & Dubuque Arboretum	1.5 mi	72
3. Granger Creek Nature Trail	1 mi	30

Full pageDubuque’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map15 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk1.5 miles of trail · Veterans Memorial Park Conserved land8.1% conserved · 1,671 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Dubuque?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

HealthB⁺

Dubuque is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns

Against the 10,065 U.S. towns with household incomes like Dubuque’s, it is healthier than 91%, so its B+ isn’t only a matter of income.

Dubuque tracks Iowa closely on all 32 CDC measures. 21% of adults binge drink in Dubuque.

71%healthier than U.S. townsB⁺Health Grade

	Dubuque	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	21%	20%	16%
Depression (CDC PLACES)	20%	21%	23%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	12%	13%	14%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	10%	12%	12%

32 measures vs. Iowa

0 better32 too close to call0 worse

Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center

1.7 mi away · emergency room

2 of 3

care shortages: primary care, mental health

71st

percentile among IA towns

Full pageDubuque’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby1.7 miles to an ER · Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center How adults are doingFewer adults lacking emotional support Every CDC estimateBetter than IA on 0 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

Four seasons and pleasant summers in Dubuque

Dubuque has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 12° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.

36″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter15–31°

Spring38–58°

Summer61–81°

Fall41–61°

Oct 21

typical first frost

Apr 19

typical last frost

+0.8°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageDubuque’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 83°, January lows 12°Rain & snow36″ of snow a winter · 38 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+0.8° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C⁺

With 1.4 jobs for every working resident, Dubuque draws in 23,404 commuters

Dubuque’s average trip to work is 15 minutes. The top destinations are Cedar Rapids (4%), Davenport (3%) and Peosta (2%). 13% of Dubuque residents live below the poverty line.

61%work in town

	Dubuque	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Average trip to work	15 minutes	19 minutes	25 minutes
Below the poverty line	13%	11%	9.6%
Median household income	$66,000	$69,000	$80,000
Work from home	12%	8.5%	11%

Where working residents work

In Dubuque61%

Cedar Rapids4%

Davenport3%

Peosta2%

Iowa City1%

4 mi

median commute distance

40,592

jobs based in Dubuque

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

A−

Walkability grade: more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns

Full pageDubuque’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here40,592 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work61% work in Dubuque Commute times15 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 4 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B

Low risk in Dubuque, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 61% of U.S. communities. Since 1999, 22 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Dubuque.

39risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves

paid flood claims since 1999

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageDubuque’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims22 paid flood claims · Since 1999 Past disasters10 federal disasters · Paid out in Dubuque Get ready1.6 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Who lives here

An age mix much like Iowa’s

34% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.

38.1median age · IA 38.6

	Dubuque	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Under 18	20%	23%	22%
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	34%	25%	29%
Aged 65 or older	21%	19%	18%
Median age	38.1 years	38.7 years	40.5 years

DubuqueIowaUnited States

IAU.S.

Ages · share of residents

14%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma6%

High school31%

Some college19%

Associate’s10%

Bachelor’s22%

Graduate12%

Women and men · all residents

50.5% women, 49.5% men

That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±0.5 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women. Median age: women 40.1, men 36.3.

Ages and education in Dubuque
	Dubuque	IA	U.S.
Under 10	11.9%	12.2%	11.6%
10 to 17	8%	10.7%	10.3%
18 to 24	12.3%	10%	9.1%
25 to 34	13.9%	12.5%	13.7%
35 to 44	11.5%	12.6%	13.2%
45 to 54	9.7%	11.3%	12.2%
55 to 64	11.9%	12.6%	12.7%
65 to 74	11.6%	10.6%	10.2%
75 and older	9.1%	7.6%	7%
No diploma	6.3%	6.7%	10.4%
High school	31%	30%	26%
Some college	19.2%	19.7%	19.1%
Associate’s	9.5%	12.1%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	21.9%	20.9%	21.6%
Graduate	12.1%	10.5%	14.1%

Full pageDubuque by the numbersOpen the page

Ages38.1 median age · 21% are 65 or older Schooling34% have a four-year degree Homes66% own their home · Homeowners Income$66K a year · Median household income

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

HousingCost of living grade B

Dubuque’s grade for cost of living is a B

The typical Dubuque home is worth about $248,000, up 4% in a year, close to the Iowa typical home.

$248KZillow home value

	Dubuque	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	66%	70%	73%
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	49%	42%	48%
Median rent	$948 a month	$909 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Dubuque$248K

Iowa$237K

Market temperature

days on market

98.9%

sale-to-list price

+4%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageDubuque’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 4% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 3.8 years of income Rents$948 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of its graded neighbor

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Nearby attractions

Charles Mound and 10 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Dubuque. Close and well known come first.

All 20 attractions →

24 mi MountainCharles Mound

38 mi National MonumentEffigy Mounds National Monument57K visitors a year

in town MuseumNational Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium250K visitors a year

in town TheatreFive Flags Center 15 mi MuseumChicago Athenaeum in town MuseumDubuque Museum of Art

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Charles Mound: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Effigy Mounds National Monument: National Park Service, Public domain · National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Five Flags Center: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Dubuque

20pages on Dubuque

The big questions

SchoolsC⁻Behind 79% of IA districts · 24 schools SafetyC4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB⁺Better than IA on 0 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingB$248K typical home · up 4% in a year Work & commuteC⁺$66K median household income · 40,592 jobs here Natural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 39% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁻15 mi of trails · 8% conserved land PlacesAttractions20 nearby · National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium under 1 mi LibraryB3.5 library visits per resident CollegesWartburg Theological Seminary, in town

The story

HistoryA⁺Chartered 1833 · 68 on the National Register Famous people43 born in Dubuque Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 88 residents Climate83° summer highs · 36″ of snow

Day to day

News1 recent stories about Dubuque WeatherHandbookZIP code 52001, 52002, 52003 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

6 within 15 miles of the center of Dubuque

Wartburg Theological SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · DubuqueIn town University of DubuqueUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · DubuqueIn town$42,095 tuition Loras CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · DubuqueIn town$39,824 tuition

About 8 of every 100 Dubuque residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

University of Dubuque calls Dubuque home

5 colleges in town.

University of Dubuque1,736 students on campus

Admission: 89%
Net price: $23,386
Graduate: 40%

Loras College1,185 students on campus

Admission: 100%
Net price: $20,716
Graduate: 68%

Clarke University950 students on campus

Admission: 72%
Net price: $24,479
Graduate: 56%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

68 places in Dubuque on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Dubuque County JailNational Historic Landmark

WILLIAM M. BLACK (dredge)National Historic Landmark

Dubuque County CourthouseBuilt 1891

Dubuque City Hall

Famous people from Dubuque

43 notable people were born in Dubuque.

See all 43 →

Kate MulgrewAmerican actress · born 1955

Margaret LindsayAmerican actress · 1910–1981

David DrakeAmerican author of science fiction and fantasy literature · 1945–2023

Kayla BanwarthAmerican volleyball player and coach · born 1989

Donald Ryder DickeyAmerican ornithologist · 1887–1932

Rod BlumAmerican politician · born 1955

About Dubuque

City in Iowa, United States

Official town website ↗

Dubuque ( , dəb-YOOK) is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 59,667 at the 2020 census. Settled in 1788 and chartered in 1833, Dubuque is the oldest city in Iowa. It was named after French-Canadian trader and miner Julien Dubuque. The city lies along the Mississippi River at the convergence of the Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin borders, a region locally known as the Tri-State Area. Dubuque is part of the Driftless Area, a portion of North America that escaped all three phases of the Wisconsin glaciation, resulting in a hilly topography unlike most of the Midwestern United States. It is a regional tourist destination featuring the city's arch…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area: 32 sq mi
Elevation: 617 ft
ZIP code: 52001, 52002, 52003
Area code: 563

Dubuque’s neighbors

4 towns share a border with Dubuque.

Explore the map →

AsburyDunleith TownshipJamestownSagevilleDubuque

Asbury

Visit

Dunleith Township

Visit

Jamestown

Visit

Sageville

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	IA rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Dubuque	#96	C⁺	B	C	C⁻	B⁺
Asbury	#61	B⁺	C	A⁺	C⁻	A
Sageville	—	—	—	—	—	—

Sageville isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Dubuque with a neighbor →

Questions about Dubuque

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Dubuque, IA a good place to live?

Dubuque grades C+ overall, better than 37% of U.S. towns and #96 of 140 in Iowa. It grades B+ for health, C for safety and C− for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a C−.

Is Dubuque, IA expensive?

Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.

What is Dubuque, IA known for?

43 notable people were born here, including Kate Mulgrew and Margaret Lindsay.

Post to Dubuque

Check your email

DubuqueIA

Is Dubuque a good place to live?

What makes Dubuque stand out

193 years in pictures

How Dubuque grades

Moving to Dubuque: who provides what

The data

Dubuque’s grade for schools is a C−

Dubuque’s grade for safety is a C

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Dubuque has set aside 8.1% of its land for conservation

Dubuque is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns

Four seasons and pleasant summers in Dubuque

Typical low → high °F

With 1.4 jobs for every working resident, Dubuque draws in 23,404 commuters

Where working residents work

Low risk in Dubuque, with inland flooding at the top

An age mix much like Iowa’s

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Dubuque’s grade for cost of living is a B

Typical home value

Charles Mound and 10 more within 40 miles

Everything we know about Dubuque

Colleges nearby

University of Dubuque calls Dubuque home

Landmarks

Famous people from Dubuque

About Dubuque

Dubuque’s neighbors

Questions about Dubuque