Iowa Trivia Questions and Answers

From golden cornfields to presidential caucuses and covered bridges, Iowa is full of history, heartland charm, and quirky facts. Whether you’re an Iowan, a Midwest traveler, or just curious about the Hawkeye State, this fun Iowa trivia quiz will test your knowledge of its capital, crops, culture, and iconic places.
Answers are provided below, so grab a pencil—or a pitchfork—and see how much you know about Iowa!

Table of Contents

Round 1 – Multiple Choice Iowa Questions

1. What is the capital city of Iowa?

a) Des Moines
b) Cedar Rapids
c) Davenport
d) Iowa City

2. What is Iowa’s state nickname?

a) The Hawkeye State
b) The Corn State
c) The Heartland State
d) The Prairie State

3. Iowa is known for its production of which crop?

a) Wheat
b) Soybeans
c) Rice
d) Potatoes

4. Which university is located in Ames, Iowa?

a) University of Iowa
b) Iowa State University
c) Drake University
d) Grinnell College

5. What is the largest city in Iowa by population?

a) Cedar Rapids
b) Des Moines
c) Sioux City
d) Iowa City

6. What is the name of the famous Iowa-born actor known for his role in “Field of Dreams”?

a) Kevin Costner
b) Tom Hanks
c) Brad Pitt
d) Robert Downey Jr.

7. Which National Park is located in Iowa?

a) Yellowstone National Park
b) Great Smoky Mountains National Park
c) Effigy Mounds National Monument
d) Grand Canyon National Park

8. What is the state bird of Iowa?

a) American Robin
b) Bald Eagle
c) Eastern Goldfinch
d) Eastern Bluebird

9. Which of these famous inventions originated from Iowa?

a) Cotton Gin
b) Air Conditioning
c) Light Bulb
d) Telephone

10. Which famous aviator was born in Atchison, Iowa?

a) Amelia Earhart
b) Charles Lindbergh
c) Orville Wright
d) Wilbur Wright

11. What is the tallest point in Iowa?

a) Pilot Knob
b) Hawkeye Point
c) Backbone Mountain
d) Mount Hosmer

12. What is the Iowa state flower?

a) Sunflower
b) Rose
c) Tulip
d) Wild Rose

13. Which of the following is not a nickname for Iowa?

a) The Corn State
b) The Hawkeye State
c) The Prairie State
d) The Heartland State

14. Iowa shares its northern border with which state?

a) Illinois
b) Nebraska
c) Wisconsin
d) Minnesota

15. The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum is located in which Iowa city?

a) West Branch
b) Cedar Rapids
c) Des Moines
d) Iowa City

16. What is the state tree of Iowa?

a) Oak
b) Maple
c) Elm
d) Des Moines

Round 1 – Answers

1. What is the capital city of Iowa?

Answer: a) Des Moines

2. What is Iowa’s state nickname?

Answer: a) The Hawkeye State

3. Iowa is known for its production of which crop?

Answer: b) Soybeans

4. Which university is located in Ames, Iowa?

Answer: b) Iowa State University

5. What is the largest city in Iowa by population?

Answer: b) Des Moines

6. What is the name of the famous Iowa-born actor known for his role in “Field of Dreams”?

Answer: a) Kevin Costner

7. Which National Park is located in Iowa?

Answer: c) Effigy Mounds National Monument

8. What is the state bird of Iowa?

Answer: c) Eastern Goldfinch

9. Which of these famous inventions originated from Iowa?

Answer: b) Air Conditioning

10. Which famous aviator was born in Atchison, Iowa?

Answer: b) Charles Lindbergh

11. What is the tallest point in Iowa?

Answer: b) Hawkeye Point

12. What is the Iowa state flower?

Answer: d) Wild Rose

13. Which of the following is not a nickname for Iowa?

Answer: c) The Prairie State

14. Iowa shares its northern border with which state?

Answer: d) Minnesota

15. The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum is located in which Iowa city?

Answer: a) West Branch

16. What is the state tree of Iowa?

Answer: c) Oak

Round 2 – Multiple Choice Iowa Questions

1. What is the name of the famous comic strip set in the fictional town of Dogpatch, inspired by the life of people from Muscatine, Iowa?

a) Peanuts
b) Garfield
c) Beetle Bailey
d) Li’l Abner

2. Which famous baseball player, known as “The Iron Horse,” was born in Winterset, Iowa?

a) Babe Ruth
b) Ty Cobb
c) Lou Gehrig
d) Hank Aaron

3. In which year was the University of Iowa founded?

a) 1830
b) 1847
c) 1855
d) 1864

4. What is the name of the famous amusement park located in Altoona, Iowa?

a) Disneyland
b) Six Flags Great America
c) Adventureland
d) Cedar Point

5. Which of the following is not a famous Iowa-born writer?

a) Kurt Vonnegut
b) Bill Bryson
c) Marilynne Robinson
d) John Steinbeck

6. The Iowa Caucuses are an important event in the US presidential election process. What political party traditionally holds these caucuses?

a) Democratic Party
b) Republican Party
c) Libertarian Party
d) Green Party

7. What is the state fish of Iowa?

a) Bluegill
b) Channel Catfish
c) Largemouth Bass
d) Northern Pike

8. Which of these famous athletes was born in Waterloo, Iowa?

a) Michael Jordan
b) Tiger Woods
c) Jesse Owens
d) Dan Gable

9. What is the name of the historic neighborhood known for its Czech and Slovak heritage in Cedar Rapids, Iowa?

a) Czech Village
b) Little Bohemia
c) Old Town
d) Heritage District

10. Which of these presidents was not born in Iowa?

a) Herbert Hoover
b) Ronald Reagan
c) Dwight D. Eisenhower
d) Warren G. Harding

11. What is the name of the famous amusement park located in Burlington, Iowa?

a) Adventureland
b) FunCity
c) Arnold’s Park
d) Lost Island Waterpark

12. Iowa is bordered by how many states?

a) 3
b) 4
c) 5
d) 6

13. Which of these universities is located in Iowa City?

a) Drake University
b) Iowa State University
c) University of Northern Iowa
d) University of Iowa

14. What is the name of the famous Native American chief who led the Sauk tribe in the Black Hawk War and was later captured in Iowa?

a) Sitting Bull
b) Crazy Horse
c) Black Hawk
d) Geronimo

Round 2 – Answers

1. What is the name of the famous comic strip set in the fictional town of Dogpatch, inspired by the life of people from Muscatine, Iowa?

Answer: d) Li’l Abner

2. Which famous baseball player, known as “The Iron Horse,” was born in Winterset, Iowa?

Answer: c) Lou Gehrig

3. In which year was the University of Iowa founded?

Answer: b) 1847

4. What is the name of the famous amusement park located in Altoona, Iowa?

Answer: c) Adventureland

5. Which of the following is not a famous Iowa-born writer?

Answer: d) John Steinbeck

6. The Iowa Caucuses are an important event in the US presidential election process. What political party traditionally holds these caucuses?

Answer: a) Democratic Party

7. What is the state fish of Iowa?

Answer: b) Channel Catfish

8. Which of these famous athletes was born in Waterloo, Iowa?

Answer: d) Dan Gable

9. What is the name of the historic neighborhood known for its Czech and Slovak heritage in Cedar Rapids, Iowa?

Answer: a) Czech Village

10. Which of these presidents was not born in Iowa?

Answer: c) Dwight D. Eisenhower

11. What is the name of the famous amusement park located in Burlington, Iowa?

Answer: b) FunCity

12. owa is bordered by how many states?

Answer: b) 4

13. Which of these universities is located in Iowa City?

Answer: d) University of Iowa

14. What is the name of the famous Native American chief who led the Sauk tribe in the Black Hawk War and was later captured in Iowa?

Answer: c) Black Hawk

Round 3 – Multiple Choice Iowa Questions

1. The Iowa State Capitol building features a dome made of what material?

a) Gold
b) Copper
c) Aluminum
d) Silver

2. What is the state insect of Iowa?

a) Monarch Butterfly
b) Western Honeybee
c) Ladybug
d) Praying Mantis

3. Which famous astronaut, the first person to walk on the moon, grew up in Wapakoneta, Iowa?

a) Buzz Aldrin
b) Neil Armstrong
c) Alan Shepard
d) John Glenn

4. What is the name of the rock formation found in the northeast corner of Iowa, which is a popular spot for hiking and camping?

a) Maquoketa Caves
b) Backbone State Park
c) Pikes Peak State Park
d) Effigy Mounds

5. Which of these famous actors was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa?

a) John Wayne
b) Harrison Ford
c) Tom Cruise
d) Clint Eastwood

6. What is the nickname of Iowa’s wrestling team at the University of Iowa?

a) Wildcats
b) Spartans
c) Hawkeyes
d) Wolverines

7. Which famous jazz musician, known for his skill on the trumpet, was born in Davenport, Iowa?

a) Louis Armstrong
b) Miles Davis
c) Dizzy Gillespie
d) Bix Beiderbecke

8. Which famous Iowa-born writer is known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Gilead”?

a) Flannery O’Connor
b) Zora Neale Hurston
c) Marilynne Robinson
d) Toni Morrison

9. What is the name of the annual cycling event that traverses the state of Iowa, often attracting thousands of participants?

a) RAGBRAI
b) Tour de Iowa
c) Pedal Across Iowa
d) CycleFest

10. Which of these rivers is not located in Iowa?

a) Des Moines River
b) Cedar River
c) Missouri River
d) Skunk River

11. The Iowa Great Lakes region is known for its recreational activities, particularly around which lakes?

a) Clear Lake
b) Spirit Lake
c) Storm Lake
d) Okoboji Lakes

12. What is the state fossil of Iowa?

a) Trilobite
b) Mammoth
c) Giant Sloth
d) Crinoid

13. Which of these industries is a major contributor to Iowa’s economy?

a) Oil
b) Tourism
c) Fishing
d) Film Production

14. What is the name of the historic hotel in Dubuque, Iowa, known for its unique architecture and scenic views of the Mississippi River?

a) Hotel Julien
b) Blackhawk Hotel
c) Hotel Winneshiek
d) Hotel Grinnell

15. What is the name of the outdoor music festival held annually in Eldridge, Iowa, featuring a variety of musical acts?

a) SummerFest
b) CornStock
c) Mississippi Valley Fair
d) Walcott Jamboree

Round 3 – Answers

1. The Iowa State Capitol building features a dome made of what material?

Answer: b) Copper

2. What is the state insect of Iowa?

Answer: c) Ladybug

3. Which famous astronaut, the first person to walk on the moon, grew up in Wapakoneta, Iowa?

Answer: b) Neil Armstrong

4. What is the name of the rock formation found in the northeast corner of Iowa, which is a popular spot for hiking and camping?

Answer: d) Effigy Mounds

5. Which of these famous actors was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa?

Answer: a) John Wayne

6. What is the nickname of Iowa’s wrestling team at the University of Iowa?

Answer: c) Hawkeyes

7. Which famous jazz musician, known for his skill on the trumpet, was born in Davenport, Iowa?

Answer: d) Bix Beiderbecke

8. Which famous Iowa-born writer is known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Gilead”?

Answer: c) Marilynne Robinson

9. What is the name of the annual cycling event that traverses the state of Iowa, often attracting thousands of participants?

Answer: a) RAGBRAI

10. Which of these rivers is not located in Iowa?

Answer: c) Missouri River

11. The Iowa Great Lakes region is known for its recreational activities, particularly around which lakes?

Answer: d) Okoboji Lakes

12. What is the state fossil of Iowa?

Answer: d) Crinoid

13. Which of these industries is a major contributor to Iowa’s economy?

Answer: b) Tourism

14. What is the name of the historic hotel in Dubuque, Iowa, known for its unique architecture and scenic views of the Mississippi River?

Answer: a) Hotel Julien

15. What is the name of the outdoor music festival held annually in Eldridge, Iowa, featuring a variety of musical acts?

Answer: c) Mississippi Valley Fair

Round 4 – Multiple Choice Iowa Questions

1. What is the name of the famous Iowa-born painter known for his American Gothic masterpiece?

a) Grant Wood
b) Jackson Pollock
c) Norman Rockwell
d) Pablo Picasso

2. What is the name of the Native American tribe that inhabited Iowa before European settlement?

a) Sioux
b) Cherokee
c) Sauk
d) Navajo

3. In what year did the University of Northern Iowa receive its current name?

a) 1959
b) 1967
c) 1975
d) 1981

4. What is the name of the famous opera house located in Indianola, Iowa, known for its summer festival?

a) Des Moines Opera House
b) Cedar Rapids Opera House
c) Hoyt Sherman Place
d) Blank Performing Arts Center

5. Which of these US presidents spent his childhood in Iowa, growing up in West Branch?

a) Abraham Lincoln
b) Theodore Roosevelt
c) Franklin D. Roosevelt
d) Herbert Hoover

6. What is the name of the famous race track located in Newton, Iowa, which hosts NASCAR events?

a) Iowa Speedway
b) Talladega Superspeedway
c) Daytona International Speedway
d) Indianapolis Motor Speedway

7. Which of these is not a county in Iowa?

a) Adams County
b) Lincoln County
c) Jefferson County
d) Buchanan County

8. What is the name of the famous Norwegian-American museum located in Decorah, Iowa?

a) Vesterheim Museum
b) Norwegian Heritage Center
c) Nordic Cultural Museum
d) Scandinavian Heritage Park

9. Which Iowa city is known for its annual Tulip Festival?

a) Pella
b) Dubuque
c) Decorah
d) Cedar Falls

10. What is the name of the famous Native American mound-building culture that existed in Iowa before European settlement?

a) Hopewell Culture
b) Adena Culture
c) Mississippian Culture
d) Woodland Culture

11. What is the name of the historic opera house located in Clinton, Iowa, which still hosts performances today?

a) Adler Theatre
b) Clinton Grand Opera House
c) Opera Iowa
d) Paramount Theatre

12. Which of these is a famous Iowa-born jazz pianist known for his work with Duke Ellington and his own trio?

a) Thelonious Monk
b) Herbie Hancock
c) McCoy Tyner
d) Oscar Peterson

13. What is the name of the largest lake in Iowa?

a) Clear Lake
b) Storm Lake
c) Saylorville Lake
d) Rathbun Lake

14. Which famous actress, known for her roles in “Legally Blonde” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” was born in Ames, Iowa?

a) Reese Witherspoon
b) Julia Roberts
c) Sandra Bullock
d) Cameron Diaz

15. What is the name of the historic theater in Mason City, Iowa, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright?

a) Mason City Opera House
b) Park Inn Hotel
c) Surf Ballroom
d) Palace Theatre

16. What is the name of the annual arts and cultural festival held in Iowa City, Iowa?

a) Iowa Arts Festival
b) Iowa City Arts Fair
c) Mission Creek Festival
d) Iowa City Jazz Festival

17. Which of these famous wrestlers, known for his Olympic gold medals and WWE career, was born in Waterloo, Iowa?

a) Stone Cold Steve Austin
b) John Cena
c) Kurt Angle
d) Brock Lesnar

Round 4 – Answers