Maharishi Vedic City (MVC) is a city in Jefferson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 277 at the time of the 2020 census. The city was incorporated in 2001 as "Vedic City" but then officially changed its name to "Maharishi Vedic City" five months later. It was the first city to incorporate in Iowa since 1982. Maharishi Vedic City consists of approximately three square miles, located about four miles north of Fairfield, the home of Maharishi University of Management. which is said to be an ancient system of architecture and design, revived by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Its goals are to "protect, nourish, and satisfy everyone, upholding the different social, cultural, and religious traditions while maintaining the integrity and progress of the city as a whole".
History
The concept of a "Vedic City" was conceived by the Maharishi, Financial and infrastructure needs led the developers to seek formal designation as a city from the state, and after petitioning the Iowa City Development Board and holding a referendum, Planners expected the city to have a population of over 1,000 by 2010, many of them transplants from nearby Fairfield.
In 2002, a building known as "The Mansion" became a headquarters for the Global Country of World Peace (GCWP). The Mayor of MVC is Rogers Badgett.
According to city officials in 2004, "more than $200 million of venture capital had been invested in Fairfield and Vedic City companies during the past 13 years". By 2006, the city consisted of more than 200 buildings.
In October 2011, a television show titled "America's Most Unusual Town" aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network on March 25, 2012, and featured Winfrey's visit to Fairfield and Maharishi Vedic City.
Organic economy
In November 2002, the city council passed an ordinance banning the sale of non-organic food within its borders.
In 2003, the city began offering tours to the public and has several thousand visitors per year. The city has an organic farm and sells produce to retail outlets such as the Whole Foods Market.