Last verified: April 2026
The Six Major Iowa Cities
| City / County | Population | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines / Polk | ~215,000 | State capital; Principal Financial HQ; MedPharm Windsor Heights dispensary |
| Cedar Rapids / Linn | ~135,000 | Rockwell Collins / Collins Aerospace; ~10x racial disparity |
| Davenport / Scott | ~100,000 | Centennial Bridge to IL; Iowa Cannabis Co.; ~13x racial disparity |
| Iowa City / Johnson | ~75,000 | UI; Sen. Joe Bolkcom legacy; progressive enclave |
| Dubuque / Dubuque | ~60,000 | Julien Dubuque Bridge to IL; 13x racial disparity |
| Council Bluffs / Pottawattamie | ~62,000 | 17x racial disparity (Iowa’s worst); Omaha gateway; Bud & Mary’s |
The Disparity Map
Per the ACLU’s “Tale of Two Countries” report, a Black Iowan is 7.3 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than a white Iowan, despite essentially equal usage rates. In 2018, Black Iowans were arrested at 776 per 100,000 population versus 107 per 100,000 for white Iowans. County-level disparities:
- Pottawattamie County (Council Bluffs): 17x — the worst in Iowa
- Dubuque County: 13x
- Scott County (Davenport / Quad Cities): ~13x
- Cerro Gordo County (Mason City): 11x
- Linn County (Cedar Rapids): ~10x
Iowa is approximately 4% Black by population but ranks consistently in the top five states nationally for racial disparity in marijuana arrests — a fact ACLU of Iowa Executive Director Mark Stringer has repeatedly identified as the central civil-rights case for reform.
Where the Five Dispensaries Are
The five dispensaries are intentionally distributed across the state to provide reasonable patient access despite the small total count:
- Bud & Mary’s — Council Bluffs (western Iowa)
- Iowa Cannabis Co. — Davenport (Quad Cities)
- MedPharm Iowa — Sioux City (NE/SD tri-state border)
- MedPharm Iowa — Windsor Heights (Des Moines metro)
- MedPharm Iowa — Waterloo (eastern Iowa)
Notable absences: no dispensary in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, or Dubuque. Patients in Iowa City must drive 2+ hours to a dispensary.
The Bolkcom Legacy in Iowa City
Iowa City — home of the University of Iowa — is the program’s political home. Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City), longtime chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, authored the original 2014 medical cannabidiol bill (SF 2360). Johnson County prosecutorial discretion runs softer than most Iowa counties. UI Hospitals & Clinics is one of the larger healthcare practitioner certification hubs in the program. See Iowa City.
Explore the Cities
For in-depth cannabis education, dosing guides, safety information, and research summaries, visit our partner site TryCannabis.org