35 Apartments in Dubuque, Iowa

We took a poll here at ApartmentList and none of us ever recall anyone claiming that Dubuque, Iowa is a dream vacation locale. You know, as in “wow, in three more days I’ll be on vacation in Dubuque.”

Maybe we just hang out with the wrong crowd because Dubuque attracts over a million and a half tourists every year. While city moms and pops like to chalk that up to all the historical and cultural stuff the city offers, we have a sneaking suspicion that more than a couple of these tourists flock to Dubuque to wager at one of the two casinos.

There’s nothing wrong with that, by any means. A whole tourist industry has been built in this little city and that benefits locals and, more importantly, the local economy.

Since you’re looking for a place to move into, though, let’s get right to the Great Dubuque Apartment Hunt. Dubuque is divided geographically into four quadrants: downtown and the north, south and east sides.

Downtown

Downtown Dubuque is located on the Mississippi, in the east-central part of town. There are a couple of neighborhoods in the downtown area you may want to check out for some rental real estate.

A place in Cable Car Square, which is mostly a tourist area with lots of shops housed in cool Victorians, will run you from the high $400s to $975 for a one-bedroom property. The biggest problem you’ll run into in this area is parking. With all the stuff for tourists to do, parking is at a premium. Some of the area’s apartments offer private parking, but for the ones that aren’t so lucky, you’ll want to either ditch your ride or find well-hidden spots.

If you’re moving to Dubuque to work at IBM, there are some apartments real close to work. In fact, you can snag a furnished one-bedroom, one-bath unit right next door to IBM starting at $500 a month.

North End

Anything east of North Grandview Ave. and north of 17th Street is considered the north end neighborhood. A hilly area, you’ll find primarily older apartments, some remodeled. A one-bedroom will run you $475 to $575.

South End

If you’re Irish and proud of that fact, you’ll love this ‘hood. Known as Little Dublin, there are lots of places to get your Irish drink on and then go to Mass afterward at one of the neighborhood’s three Catholic churches. (That's how it works, right?)

This area is also home to the ritzier neighborhoods of Dubuque. While the north end is decidedly urban, the south end has more of a country feel.

You’ll find a wide range of apartments for rent here, from the newly built to the older, remodeled types. Rents run from $695 to $1,100 a month.

West End

Ah, the ‘burbs. The west end is an older part of town that was built to house John Deere employees. You’ll find lots of shopping centers here as well as industrial parks. If you’re attending the University of Dubuque you should have no problem finding some pretty cheap apartments within walking distance with rents in the $400s.

Dubuque’s official median gross rent in 2009 was $565. Locals complain that since IBM moved to town vacancy rates have fallen to the point where it’s sometimes difficult to find a place to live. Therefore, it’s a good idea to start searching for a place a bit earlier than you normally would.

One thing you’ll notice as you start apartment hunting is that prices for apartments are pretty consistent across the city. Some offer parking, others don’t, so be sure to inquire about that if you have a car.

No discussion of this Iowan gem is complete without mentioning its accolades. In 2010, it was chosen one of the best cities in the nation to find a job and the third most livable community in the world. Then, in 2011 the world heaped more praise on Dubuque by proclaiming it one of the 10 smartest cities on the planet.

For that, we think you’ll like living in Dubuque. Good luck on your hunt!