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Best Overall Cities in Iowa

4 cities ranked · Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions.

Top Cities in Iowa

  1. #1
    B

    Davenport

    Best Overall Cities score 70 · MoveScore 70

  2. #2
    C

    Cedar Rapids

    Best Overall Cities score 63 · MoveScore 63

  3. #3
    C

    Des Moines

    Best Overall Cities score 63 · MoveScore 63

  4. #4
    F

    Sioux City

    Best Overall Cities score 45 · MoveScore 45

Other Iowa Rankings

Best for Safety in Iowa

Lowest crime rates per FBI UCR — best for families sensitive to violent and property crime.

Best for Water Quality in Iowa

Cleanest drinking water per EPA SDWIS — fewest violations, highest safety scores.

Best for Air Quality in Iowa

Cleanest air per EPA AQS — lowest median AQI and fewest unhealthy days.

Best for Public Schools in Iowa

Strongest public school performance per NCES/EDFacts — highest average proficiency.

Best Fiscal Health in Iowa

Strongest municipal fiscal health per Census ASPEP — sustainable per-capita spending.

Best for Hospital Care in Iowa

Highest-rated hospitals per CMS HCAHPS — best patient experience scores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city in Iowa ranks highest for best overall cities?

Davenport, IA ranks #1 in Iowa for best overall cities with a sub-score of 70/100 (MoveScore 70, grade B).

How many cities in Iowa are compared?

4 Iowa cities have enough federal data for this ranking. Cities need at least three of six sub-scores for inclusion.

How is this ranking calculated?

Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions. Sub-scores are normalized to 0-100 and the highest scores rank first.

Sources: FBI UCR, EPA, NCES, Census ASPEP, CMS HCAHPS
Last updated:

Iowa-specific ranking using the composite MoveScore, normalized to 0-100. Cities need at least three federal sub-scores to be included.