Community
Live, Work & Play Here!
The Iowa City area includes Coralville, Iowa City, North Liberty, Solon, West Branch and Tiffin, and offers many ways to live, work and play! You can make your home in the rolling countryside or in a high-rise condo in a culturally vibrant downtown. Career options range from biotech start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Year-round recreation and entertainment opportunities abound!
Each community in Johnson County offers unique benefits for businesses and families.
Check out which one is right for you!
Our Community Partners
ICAD is our roommate at MERGE! Initially a committee of the Chamber, ICAD spun off into their own organization in 1984. Their mission is to create, collaborate and lead regional economic development initiatives that contribute to the creation and growth of companies, wealth and quality jobs through a spirit of innovation and a culture of sharing that transforms knowledge into economic opportunity. ICAD Group is available to assist interstate commerce companies with location or expansion projects, workforce development, and entreprenuerial services.
ICAD Group focuses mainly on very large or very small organizations conducting business across state lines.
ICR IOWA is a nonprofit organization launched in 2017 by the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance and the Iowa City Area Development Group. This joint venture was developed to ensure Iowa City-Cedar Rapids (ICR) prospers through community-aligned business attraction and workforce development. Our partners include the seven counties of Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and Washington.
ICR IOWA focuses on large-scale initiatives to better our entire region.
Downtown Iowa City has had an active business association since the turn of the 19th Century after the founding of Iowa City as the original state capitol in 1839. After more than a century of growth, the business association rebranded in 2012 as the Iowa City Downtown District by a successful petition to property owners to generate tax revenue through a Self Supported Municipal Improvement District (SSMID) to enhance Downtown. The ICDD is a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization representing property owners and stakeholders in the Downtown and Northside Neighborhoods of Iowa City. They are charged with overseeing the reinvestment of these funds as they advance a mission to steward the area. Since its inception, the Downtown District continues to forge an exciting and deliberate path forward towards cultural vibrancy, resiliency, and sustainability.
The Iowa City Downtown District focuses entirely on businesses within the boundaries of the SSMIDs that support them.
The Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), or Think Iowa City, was established in 1983 and is the Iowa City area’s official destination management organization. Its goal is to attract more visitors, meetings, groups, and events to the area through destination marketing, outreach and facilitation. Think Iowa City attracts new events, groups and meetings to the community; provides service and support to existing and repeat events; executes and plans events to generate more visitor traffic; and provide comprehensive visitor resources of local information. And if you’re planning a move to the area – they are your go to organization for relocation packets!
Think Iowa City focuses mainly on visitors to our area, and the businesses that support our tourism industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Iowa City area is a great place to start and grow your business. Below are the five most requested resources, and we would welcome the opportunity to meet with you, hear your vision, and make key introductions so your dream can quickly become a reality.
- Make the Right Contacts: Get a jump on the process ahead. Share your concept with town and county economic development officials. They can give you the latest market figures, demystify the permitting process and regulatory requirements, and clarify the path ahead. City of Iowa City | City of Coralville | City of North Liberty| Iowa City Area Development Group | Small Business Development Council
- Find Space: Finding the right site or space to launch, relocate, or expand your business is no easy feat, but getting started has never been easier. Search commercial property in Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, and throughout the region and state, and/or work with a commercial REALTOR [link to directory page]. Learn more about opportunities in Downtown Iowa City from our partner the Iowa City Downtown District.
- Consider Collaboration: Coworking is a shared workspace, typically for independent workers (freelancers and work-at-home professionals) who value a sense of community and a flexible, collaborative work style. Our partner organization the Iowa City Area Development Group offers several coworking options as well as incubator/accelerator entrepreneurial communities.
- Additional Resources: ICAD Group Entrepreneurial Mentor Program | Iowa’s SBDC | Small Business Administration Iowa District Office | Iowa Business Growth (Financing)
- Visit our Advocacy Page to learn who represents you, and how to get in touch with them.
- The Better Business Bureau office for our area is located in Cedar Rapids at 1239 1st Ave Suite A, ZIP Code 52402. Their phone number is 319-365-1190. Contact the BBB to check whether a business is accredited, what their BBB rating is, and to lodge complaints against businesses in cases where there are disputes that relate to marketplace issues experienced with the services or products a business provides.
There are several organizations in the Iowa City area that maintain job boards to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
- ICR IOWA's Corridor Careers Board
- Iowa City Downtown District’s Job Board
- IowaWORKS Statewide Job Board
- Handshake@UIowa (formerly Hire-A-Hawk)
Iowa Nice is alive and well in Iowa City, and there are lots of ways to meet new people. One option is to attend on of our quarterly LINC events. LINC stands for “Local, Inspired, New, Curious” and is a great option to meet new people in an open networking environment, no membership required! Another great option is ICR IOWA’s Wingman program, which pairs newcomers to the area with established professionals. Individuals and businesses helping their employees relocate are welcome to take advantage of the program. And of course, we recommend our networking events for an employee of a member business. We’re very friendly!
- The Iowa Department of Human Services maintains a list of registered child care centers in the area. Use their search tool here.
- If you need assistance finding child care to fit your situation, contact 4Cs Community Coordinated Child Care or Johnson County Social Services.
- As a college town, Iowa City (And the surrounding areas) has a lot of landlords. If you’re looking for a standard unit in an apartment building, we have a list of member property managers. Zillow and Apartments.com are also good resources for professionally maintained units. If private landlords are more your style, check out Craigslist (with caution, of course).
- We have several outstanding retirement communities in our area. You’re sure to find one that fits your lifestyle.
- We recommend visiting our friends at Think Iowa City to learn about all of the interesting things to do in our “collection of curious communities.”
- In all of the communities we serve, water, sewer, and usually trash are managed through the independent municipalities. Visit their websites or give them a call to get connected at your new address. Iowa City | Coralville | North Liberty | Tiffin | Solon
- Depending on where you live, the companies below will provide other utilities
- Gas & Electric: Alliant Energy | MidAmerican Energy Company
- Internet & Cable: ImOn Communications | Mediacom | South Slope Cooperative Communications
- Garbage Pick-up: ABC Disposal Systems | Republic Services
IOWA CITY AREA LIVABILITY MAGAZINE
Check out our 2020 magazine to find out why the Iowa City area is a great place to live and work! This publication was created in partnership with the Iowa City Area Development Group, the Iowa City Downtown District, ICR IOWA, and the Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention & Visitor’s Bureau.
