HEAD TO HEAD
Iowa City vs Roanoke
Roanoke leads Iowa City on 3 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Iowa City, IA
wins 0 of 5 factors
Roanoke, VA
wins 3 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Iowa City | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 87 | 87 |
| Affordable to rent | 80 | 80 |
| Climate comfort | 43 | 59 ◆ |
| Plenty of sunshine | 43 | 49 ◆ |
| Big-city amenities | 39 | 60 ◆ |
By the numbers
| Figure | Iowa City | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $302K | $301K |
| Typical rent | $1,396/mo | $1,403/mo |
| Average temperature | 10.2°C | 11.8°C |
| Sunshine (solar) | 4.03 kWh/m²/day | 4.22 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank | #252 | #164 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.