NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Iowa City, IA

Metro Market Score 44.5 (Moderate), ranked #80 of 298 metros. 458 establishments, 9,499 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 44.5
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

📈Rapid Growth

Employment in Iowa City's accommodation and food services sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 83.6. Combined with a 44.5 market score, this metro sits in the upper half for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration
66.1
LQ: 1.13
Rank #197 of 298 metros
Wage Competitiveness
41.6
$23,675 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 83.6
Employment growth index
Rank #50 of 298 metros
Wage Pressure
63.1
YoY wage change index

458 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Iowa City

458
Establishments
-0.7% YoY
9,499
Total Employment
+2.7% YoY
$23,675
Average Annual Wage
+1.1% YoY
1.13
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Iowa City vs Iowa Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to Iowa overall. The state ranks #29/51 for entry risk.

Measure Iowa City IA Statewide
Overall Score 44.5 Moderate 39.0 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #80 of 298 metros #29 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Iowa City

Construction 29.9 Information 30.0 Healthcare and Social Assistance 31.1 Other Services 32.9 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 40.0 Retail Trade 42.0 Administrative and Support Services 51.4 Finance and Insurance 59.2 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 62.9

Accommodation and Food Services in Other Iowa Metros

Dubuque 24.7 #5/298 Ames 26.3 #7/298 Waterloo-Cedar Falls 32.7 #22/298 Des Moines-West Des Moines 33.8 #25/298 Cedar Rapids 34.4 #28/298 Sioux City 42.9 #65/298 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island 57.3 #167/298

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Iowa City's accommodation and food services sector, the industry concentration component (66.1) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.