CallataGuidesIowa City, IA business phone guide
Population, businesses by sector and industry, area codes and local numbers for the Iowa City, IA metro area.
- Population
- 183,0002024 est.
- Establishments
- 4,177CBP 2023
- Counties
- 2
- Area codes
- 1
The Iowa City, IA area
The Iowa City, IA metro area covers 2 counties in Iowa and had 183,000 residents in July 2024, up 4.2% since April 2020. The U.S. population grew 2.6% over the same period. Johnson County, IA is the most populous, with 160,000 people. By population it ranks 250th of the 925 metro and micropolitan areas and 253rd by business establishments.
| County | Population (2024) |
|---|---|
| Johnson County, IA | 160,080 |
| Washington County, IA | 22,631 |
Source: Census Vintage 2024 metropolitan and micropolitan area estimates.
Establishments and employment in Iowa City, IA
County Business Patterns counted 4,177 establishments in the area in 2023, employing 75,439 people in mid-March with $3.9 billion in annual payroll. That is an average of 18.1 employees per establishment. 51.2% of establishments with employees had fewer than five people. By establishment count, the largest sectors are retail trade (560), health care and social assistance (560), and construction (513).
| Sector (NAICS) | Establishments | Employees | Annual payroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade (44) | 560 | 11,140 | $343,960,000 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance (62) | 560 | 24,242 | $1,464,118,000 |
| Construction (23) | 513 | 3,282 | $226,756,000 |
| Accommodation and Food Services (72) | 492 | 9,957 | $222,823,000 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) (81) | 391 | 2,574 | $95,831,000 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54) | 362 | 2,692 | $171,986,000 |
| Finance and Insurance (52) | 220 | 2,727 | $212,657,000 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing (53) | 208 | 903 | $47,293,000 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (56) | 206 | 3,450 | $202,030,000 |
| Wholesale Trade (42) | 157 | 2,145 | $137,544,000 |
| Transportation and Warehousing (48) | 132 | 2,784 | $156,909,000 |
| Manufacturing (31) | 116 | 5,995 | $426,374,000 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71) | 78 | 636 | $11,817,000 |
| Information (51) | 70 | 686 | $49,154,000 |
| Educational Services (61) | 59 | 1,398 | $89,118,000 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises (55) | 20 | 491 | $31,365,000 |
| Utilities (22) | 12 | 205 | $21,627,000 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11) | 10 | 32 | $2,021,000 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction (21) | 8 | 100 (high noise) | $5,258,000 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023, two-digit NAICS sectors. Manufacturing, retail and transportation span several two-digit codes; CBP reports them under 31, 44 and 48.
How Iowa City, IA's businesses compare
Iowa City, IA has 22.9 business establishments per 1,000 residents, 7.0% below the U.S. figure of 24.6. Establishments average 18.1 employees against 16.7 nationally, and payroll per employee is $51,946 (24.0% below the U.S. $68,342). 51.2% of establishments with employees have fewer than five people (U.S.: 55.5%), while 4.7% have 50 or more. Averages are pulled up by large employers; the size table is the better guide to what a typical business here looks like.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 2,137 | 51.2% | 55.5% |
| 5–9 employees | 817 | 19.6% | 17.5% |
| 10–19 employees | 614 | 14.7% | 12.5% |
| 20–49 employees | 412 | 9.9% | 9.1% |
| 50 or more employees | 197 | 4.7% | 5.4% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Small-business industries in Iowa City, IA
Of the 141 industries these guides cover, 110 have a published Census count in Iowa City, IA. The largest are full-service restaurants (181), limited-service restaurants (126), and insurance agencies and brokerages (75). Relative to population, siding contractors are the most over-represented: 7.7 per 100,000 residents against 2.7 nationally.
| Industry | Establishments | Employees | Employees per establishment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 181 | 3,731 | 20.6 |
| Limited-service restaurants | 126 | 2,517 | 20.0 |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 75 | 296 | 3.9 |
| Child day care services | 75 | 1,238 | 16.5 |
| Landscaping services | 70 | 420 | 6.0 |
| Dental offices | 60 | 428 | 7.1 |
| Law offices | 59 | 264 | 4.5 |
| Physician practices | 58 | 569 | 9.8 |
| Offices of real estate agents and brokers | 58 | 100 | 1.7 |
| Residential remodelers | 56 | — | — |
| Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors | 51 | 458 | 9.0 |
| Electrical contractors | 50 | 395 | 7.9 |
| New single-family housing construction contractors | 50 | 180 | 3.6 |
| Beauty salons | 48 | 271 | 5.6 |
| Mental health practices | 47 | 243 | 5.2 |
| General automotive repair shops | 47 | 217 | 4.6 |
| Hotels and motels | 47 | 1,417 | 30.1 |
| Drinking places | 41 | 603 | 14.7 |
| Janitorial services | 36 | 384 | 10.7 |
| Management consulting firms | 34 | — | — |
| Chiropractic offices | 33 | 97 | 2.9 |
| Poured concrete foundation and structure contractors | 33 | 208 | 6.3 |
| Supermarkets and grocery stores | 33 | 3,162 | 95.8 |
| Physical, occupational and speech therapy clinics | 29 | 278 | 9.6 |
| Residential property managers | 28 | 236 | 8.4 |
Selected small-business industries (six-digit NAICS) covered by these guides. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Which area codes serve Iowa City, IA
The area's named cities and towns have 91 NANPA-assigned exchanges across 1 area code; 319 has the most (100%). Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a business serving several parts of the area can hold a number in each.
| Area code | Exchanges in named places | Share | Time zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 319 | 91 | 100% | Central |
Exchanges in rate centers matched to Census places in the area. Source: NANPA.
Local numbers by city
Pages for 8 cities and towns in the area list their area codes, prefixes and carriers.
| Place | Population (2024) | Area codes | Exchanges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | 76,710 | 319 | 50 |
| Washington, IA | 7,281 | 319 | 10 |
| Tiffin, IA | 6,695 | 319 | 3 |
| Solon, IA | 3,284 | 319 | 3 |
| Kalona, IA | 2,762 | 319 | 3 |
| Wellman, IA | 1,531 | 319 | 2 |
| Lone Tree, IA | 1,341 | 319 | 2 |
| Riverside, IA | 1,063 | 319 | 2 |
Phone costs for a typical Iowa City, IA business
Per-seat phone plans multiply by headcount. For the rounded average establishment size in Iowa City, IA, 18 users on RingCentral RingEX Core come to $540.00 a month and on Ooma Office Pro $449.10, at month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026. Callata comes to $359.00 a month for 18 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $359.00 | $4,308.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $342.00 | $4,104.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $414.00 | $4,968.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $449.10 | $5,389.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $486.00 | $5,832.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $540.00 | $6,480.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Callata in Iowa City, IA
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
Porting a number you already use in Iowa City, IA is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Frequently asked questions
What area codes serve Iowa City, IA?
319, by NANPA-assigned exchanges in the area's named places.
How many businesses are in the Iowa City, IA area?
4,177 establishments in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns.
How much does a business phone system cost in Iowa City, IA?
Callata is $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user; for an 18-person team that is $359.00 a month. The same team on Ooma Office Pro lists at $449.10 a month (checked September 28, 2026).