Most Dense in Iowa

Top 86 cities ranked by most dense

Largest Cities Smallest Cities Most Dense Least Dense Highest Income Lowest Income Lowest Unemployment Highest Unemployment Lowest Poverty Highest Poverty Highest Home Value Most Affordable Highest Rent Lowest Rent Most Educated Youngest Cities Oldest Cities Safest Cities Highest Crime Warmest Cities Coldest Cities Rainiest Cities Driest Cities

All Countries · United States · Iowa

Most Dense — Iowa

1 Windsor Heights 3,616/mi²

2 Iowa City 2,922/mi²

3 Clive 2,454/mi²

4 Des Moines 2,410/mi²

5 Ames 2,344/mi²

6 Marion 2,316/mi²

7 Ankeny 2,211/mi²

8 Anamosa 2,204/mi²

9 North Liberty 2,181/mi²

10 Storm Lake 2,076/mi²

11 Urbandale 2,042/mi²

12 Dubuque 1,895/mi²

13 Asbury 1,871/mi²

14 Bettendorf 1,845/mi²

15 Cedar Rapids 1,834/mi²

16 Coralville 1,803/mi²

17 Glenwood 1,753/mi²

18 Sergeant Bluff 1,714/mi²

19 Carroll 1,707/mi²

20 Grinnell 1,674/mi²

21 Burlington 1,652/mi²

22 Knoxville 1,622/mi²

23 Ottumwa 1,579/mi²

24 Davenport 1,574/mi²

25 Fort Dodge 1,548/mi²

26 Altoona 1,547/mi²

27 Hiawatha 1,505/mi²

28 West Des Moines 1,472/mi²

29 Council Bluffs 1,456/mi²

30 Sioux City 1,448/mi²

31 Creston 1,439/mi²

32 Marshalltown 1,432/mi²

33 Fairfield 1,428/mi²

34 Oskaloosa 1,426/mi²

35 Red Oak 1,410/mi²

36 Newton 1,394/mi²

37 Indianola 1,391/mi²

38 Cedar Falls 1,381/mi²

39 Orange City 1,372/mi²

40 Perry 1,369/mi²

41 Boone 1,362/mi²

42 Maquoketa 1,351/mi²

43 Washington 1,349/mi²

44 Sioux Center 1,302/mi²

45 Muscatine 1,295/mi²

46 Denison 1,261/mi²

47 Johnston 1,241/mi²

48 Waukee 1,231/mi²

49 Oelwein 1,222/mi²

50 Tiffin 1,220/mi²

51 Spirit Lake 1,210/mi²

52 Grimes 1,206/mi²

53 Le Mars 1,206/mi²

54 Charles City 1,196/mi²

55 Nevada 1,168/mi²

56 Norwalk 1,168/mi²

57 Algona 1,167/mi²

58 Adel 1,161/mi²

59 Winterset 1,143/mi²

60 Pella 1,137/mi²

61 Sheldon 1,122/mi²

62 Centerville 1,111/mi²

63 Estherville 1,088/mi²

64 Waterloo 1,087/mi²

65 Keokuk 1,071/mi²

66 Fort Madison 1,059/mi²

67 Mount Pleasant 1,054/mi²

68 Clarinda 1,052/mi²

69 Decorah 1,049/mi²

70 Polk City 1,049/mi²

71 Manchester 1,043/mi²

72 Spencer 1,040/mi²

73 Independence 1,020/mi²

74 Pleasant Hill 1,000/mi²

75 Mason City 962/mi²

76 Iowa Falls 939/mi²

77 Waverly 928/mi²

78 DeWitt 890/mi²

79 Webster City 844/mi²

80 Atlantic 817/mi²

81 Cherokee 755/mi²

82 Bondurant 724/mi²

83 Clear Lake 705/mi²

84 Eldridge 691/mi²

85 Osceola 689/mi²

86 Clinton 686/mi²

The most densely populated cities in Iowa pack the most residents per square mile, creating vibrant urban environments with walkable neighborhoods and extensive public transit. Windsor Heights leads with 3,616 people per square mile.

High population density is often associated with better access to public transportation, more walkable streets, and a wider variety of restaurants, shops, and entertainment options within close proximity. These cities tend to have lower car ownership rates and shorter commute distances.

Dense cities face unique challenges including higher housing costs, limited parking, and potential overcrowding in public spaces. However, they also tend to have lower per-capita carbon footprints due to shared infrastructure and reduced driving.

Did You Know?

1. Windsor Heights has 3,616 people per square mile — that's roughly 6 people per acre.
2. Dense cities tend to have the most walkable neighborhoods and lowest car ownership rates in the country.
3. Urban density can reduce per-capita carbon emissions by up to 50% compared to suburban sprawl.

Browse Rankings by Region

United States — By Region

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

By Country

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belarus Belgium Benin Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Ethiopia Finland France Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guadeloupe Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Mali Malta Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway Oman Pakistan Palestinian Territory Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of the Congo Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand The Netherlands Togo Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe