Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,177, settled in 1935.
University Heights’ best subject grades are an A+ for walkability and incomes and an A for health; its weakest is a D− for cost of living. Only 14 of Iowa’s 276 towns score lower on history. University Heights has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where University Heights beats most towns.
| Widest gap | University Heights | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.5% | 11.6% |
1,051 counted in 2010 and 1,228 in 2020; an estimated 1,177 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far University Heights is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 261 in 1940, 1,228 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 5 maps from 1891 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in University Heights, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in University Heights.
Its one school is below. 453 students attend University Heights’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ernest Horn Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 453 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
10% of adults worry about having enough food in University Heights. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 10 have a lower share of adults who have high blood pressure than University Heights. Add to that, in University Heights, nearly one in ten adults have diabetes, where Iowa’s towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 12%. Two figures for adults here: 9.8% report frequent physical distress, 28% sleep under 7 hours.
| University Heights | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.8% | 13% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 35% | 35% |
| What stands out | University Heights | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.5% | 11.6% |
| Fewer smokers | 10.1% | 14.5% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 73.2% | 77.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
In University Heights, 15% of residents live below the poverty line, above both Iowa’s towns (11%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Since 2013, University Heights has added 80 jobs, to 153 in 2023. University Heights’ income of the median household stands at $111,000. For half of commuters, work is under 1 miles away.
| University Heights | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.3% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $111,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 11% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in 70% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in University Heights, 40% come from tornadoes and 24% from inland flooding.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Summer afternoons peak near 85° in July, and January nights bottom out around 13°; snowfall runs to about 28 inches a winter. Expect cold winters and warm summers in University Heights.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
University Heights's reported crime rate is well below Iowa's. Of the 116 Iowa towns we compare, none has a lower rate of reported violence than University Heights. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| University Heights | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.9 per 1,000 residents | 7.3 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
The share of renter households in University Heights who spend 30% or more of their income on rent: 60%. No town among the 138 in Iowa we compare has a higher typical rent than University Heights. Also worth knowing: among 141 Iowa towns, just 3 have a lower owner-occupancy rate than University Heights.
| University Heights | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 55% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,588 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 60% | 42% | 48% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Swisher Tract | — | 13 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around University Heights. Close and well known come first.
in town Stadium & arenaKinnick Stadium
11 mi MuseumHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
in town Stadium & arenaCarver–Hawkeye Arena
10 mi National Historic SiteHerbert Hoover National Historic Site107K visitors a year
in town MuseumUniversity of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art
22 mi MuseumNational Czech & Slovak Museum & LibraryKinnick Stadium: Count_de_Des_Moines (talk) (Uploads), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum: Shadow2700, Public domain · Carver–Hawkeye Arena: Asolsma1988, CC0 · Herbert Hoover National Historic Site: Billwhittaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0 · National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library: ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of University Heights
College town 25 of every 100 University Heights residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
City in Iowa, United States
University Heights is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,228 at the time of the 2020 census. It is an enclave surrounded by Iowa City, located near the campus of the University of Iowa. The University Heights city border is approximately 0.1 miles from Kinnick Stadium. It is also the most densely populated city in Iowa, with a population density of 4,617.5 people per square mile.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes. The typical home is worth about $430,000, 82% above the Iowa typical home.
