Best Value Cities 2011:9. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
From grains to planes, a diverse economy attracts a high-tech workforce.
Cedar Rapids has soared from a sleepy (and sometimes stinky) grain-processing town to a midwestern hub for the high-tech, health care and financial sectors. The city caps one end of the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Tech Corridor, home to nearly 30 Fortune 500 companies and more than a dozen foreign corporations. Local business is solid, with enzyme manufacturer Genencor wrapping up a $39 million expansion this year and proposing another. Cedar Rapids’ largest employer, aircraft systems designer Rockwell Collins, is adding 400 local jobs to its payroll. “We’re constantly hiring the best and the brightest engineers,” says Stephen Schulz, director of talent acquisition for Rockwell Collins. “We need those types of people as much as Silicon Valley or Seattle does.”
VIDEO: Take a virtual walking tour of Cedar Rapids.
In 2008, the Cedar River spilled over its banks, sweeping through downtown and submerging offices and restaurants. It left a ghost town in its wake. Today, money is pouring into the city center. Cedar Rapids recently broke ground on a $100 million convention complex and is planning a $50 million library, both slated for completion in 2013. Rockwell Collins relocated 400 employees to a downtown office, an investment in the area’s future. “There’s growth coming back to downtown,” says Chris Burhans, who runs a classic downtown eatery, Gringo’s Mexican Restaurant. “People want to support local businesses.”
Why It's Affordable

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
While Cedar Rapids recovers from the flood, it has weathered another disaster, the housing bubble, quite well. The average home costs $155,000, just $2,000 less than in 2007. That price can land you a four-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath residence with a large backyard in a nice neighborhood. For $500,000, you can come home to a countryside mansion, with seven bedrooms, three fireplaces, hardwood floors and an exercise studio. And property taxes are notably cheap. Homeowners pay taxes on about half of their home’s value due to state-mandated rollbacks.
Why It's Fun
With the University of Iowa nearby, Cedar Rapids residents have access to Big Ten sports and college nightlife. Locally, they enjoy an opera company, a symphony orchestra and a minor-league baseball team named the Kernels, in reference to the city’s agricultural roots. The city is crisscrossed with bike trails and rich with parks -- about 4,000 acres altogether. With four public golf courses, residents can play an 18-hole weekend evening round for less than $20.
SLIDE SHOW: See the Top 10 Best Value Cities
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
Susannah Snider worked as a research-reporter and staff writer at Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine. She went on to serve as managing editor for money at U.S. News, overseeing articles and content covering real estate, personal finance and careers. She is a certified financial planner professional and earned her CFP marks in 2019.
-
Stock Market Today: A Historic Quarter Closes on High Notes
"All's well that ends well" is one way to describe the second quarter of 2025, at least from a pure price-action perspective.
-
Is It Worth Getting a Free iPhone Through T-Mobile?
T-Mobile offers a free iPhone 16 Pro with select plans, including a 55+ option. Is the incentive worth the switch over?
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2025
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
-
How to Search For Foreclosures Near You: Best Websites for Listings
Making Your Money Last Searching for a foreclosed home? These top-rated foreclosure websites — including free, paid and government options — can help you find listings near you.
-
Luxury Home Prices Rise as the Rich Dodge High Mortgage Rates
Luxury home prices rose 9% to the highest third-quarter level on record, Redfin reports, growing nearly three times faster than non-luxury prices.
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnb
real estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute Vacation
Travel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
insurance When assessing how much life insurance you need, take a systematic approach instead of relying on rules of thumb.
-
When Is Amazon Prime Day? Everything We Know So Far, Plus Early Deals
Amazon Prime Here are the key Amazon Prime Day dates and details you need to know, plus some of our favorite early deals to shop ahead of the sale.
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Steps
insurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.