HILLS, Iowa (KCRG) - Rural areas in Johnson County need more affordable housing, but that would require infrastructure upgrades and willing investors.

A housing study shows Johnson County’s rural areas need 950 new housing units in the next 10 years. The study says single family homes are often too expensive.

Of the six small cities in Johnson County: Hills, Lone Tree, Swisher, Shueyville, Oxford, and Solon, Hills has seen the most growth in adults between 35 and 49.

Hills Mayor Tim Kemp points to the city’s housing diversity as one of the key reasons people move in. Over the years, development in the city has resulted in a mix of duplexes, apartment complexes, and single family homes.

“Maybe they start in the apartments, maybe they can afford a zero lot later, and eventually a single

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