Dubuque’s nicknames are: “The Key City”, “City of Five Flags” and “Masterpiece on the Mississippi”. Its motto is: “Showing the Spirit”. Dubuque is home to five institutions of higher education, making it a center for culture and learning.
Dubuque lies at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a region locally known as the Tri-State Area. Dubuque is a tourist destination featuring the city’s unique architecture and river location.
Dubuque has long been a center of manufacturing, but the economy grew rapidly and diversified to other areas in the first years of the 21st century.
By 2005, the city led the state and the Midwest in job growth, ranking as the 22nd-fastest growing economy in the US. Alongside industry, the city has large health care, education, tourism, publishing, and financial service sectors.