Nearly 40% of Johnson County residents are under age 25, and one in every four residents are under age 20. Since 2020, the only age groups that increased their share of the county’s total population were residents ages 45–54 (+0.3 percentage points) and residents aged 65 and older (+1.7 percentage points). Even with these demographic shifts, the county continues to have a larger share of residents under age 25 compared to both Iowa and the United States overall.
Greater IC’s Youth Profile dashboard highlights key data trends related to local youth and families while helping identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. Together, these indicators provide insight into how young residents contribute to the region’s long-term economic vitality and quality of life.
Education and School Services
Johnson County’s youth population plays an important role in the region’s economy, workforce pipeline, and overall vibrancy. Children under age five make up 5.4% of the county’s population, reflecting Johnson County’s continued appeal as a place where families choose to live and grow. Among the eleven benchmark areas included in the Community Data Dashboard, only Polk County, Iowa (6.6%), the state of Iowa (5.9%), and the United States overall (5.7%) report larger shares of residents under age five. However, when compared only to counties that are home to major college universities, Johnson County has the highest share of young children. The graph below illustrates how Johnson County compares to peer counties as well as state and national benchmarks.
As shown in the graph, nearly every comparison area has experienced a gradual decline in the share of residents under age five. This trend aligns with broader national demographic shifts, including growth in the population age 65 and older.
Access to preschool and high-quality early education remains an important component of supporting young children and families. In Johnson County, 48.5% of children aged 3-4 are enrolled in preschool programs, exceeding the statewide benchmark by more than five percentage points. Among the nine comparison counties, Johnson County ranks sixth overall, with each of the higher-ranking counties located outside Iowa. In recent years, the Iowa City Community School District expanded preschool programming to better support local students and families and increase access to early learning opportunities.
Financial Well-Being and Childcare Cost-Burden
79% of households in the greater Iowa City area have children under age six in which both parents are employed. This represents the highest share among all comparison communities in the dashboard, exceeding the next closest region by more than one percentage point. The data reflects both the region’s strong workforce participation and the growing number of young families who call the area home. Yet, rising housing and childcare costs continue to make dual incomes necessary for many households.
The demand for childcare services is reflected in the high number of households with young children and two working parents. In response to workforce and affordability challenges within the childcare sector, Johnson County introduced the Wage Enhancement Program in 2023. Through the program, full-time employees at qualifying childcare centers receive an additional $2 per hour in wages to help support staffing retention and service stability.
Before the program’s implementation, the share of childcare cost-burdened households increased from 26% in 2021 to 36% in 2023. According to County Health Rankings data, that share declined to 25% in 2024. While childcare affordability remains an ongoing challenge for many families, these trends demonstrate continued local attention and investment in early childhood support systems.
As childcare continues to shape workforce participation and quality of life across the region, Greater IC will continue prioritizing policies and partnerships that expand access to high-quality, affordable childcare and early childhood education through its Public Policy Priorities initiatives.
For more information and to see how Johnson County performs relative to other communities, please see our 2025 Data Digest report and visit our interactive Community Data Dashboard.
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Read our 2025 Data Digest Report >>>
Want to learn more about Greater IC’s data services? Reach out to Evan Doyle, Economic Development Program Director (evan@greateriowacity.com) for more information and data.
