05-24-2016, 10:37 AM
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Hi everyone,
My husband is looking at a job in West DesMoines and a possible move soon. We have lived in New Hampshire for the past 30 years, so very nervous about a big change like this. To us, Des Moines looks like a huge city and, I have to admit, that when I think of Iowa, I think of prairies and farms. The farms are familiar, as NH is very rural, but I will greatly miss our mountains.
But, you have to do what you have to do and we are curious about finding property on the outskirts of the cities. We are NOT interested in the inner suburbs (which, I'm sorry to say, look like ant farms via Google maps to us.) We are not used to living around huge populations and so close in proximity to neighbors.
To put it plainly, we are a conservative, evangelical, Christian, Republican, homeschooling family with 11 kids (9 still at home.) Yes, we are a bit out of the norm in NH, but people really keep to themselves here (which is both good and bad.)
We are looking for a rural area within 30 minutes of West DesMoines. We don't care about schools. We want, at least, 1 acre of land.
We see a lot of small towns on the outskirts, so looking for which ones would be a good fit for us and which ones to avoid. Our small city, among others, are recovering mill towns that has struggled financially and has a very high tax rate. We want to avoid situations like that. We are willing to pay more for a good area. It's all about location for us.
Thanks for any insight! I hear that people in Iowa are very friendly and I hope that they would be welcoming to a family like ours. (It's a red state, so I have high hopes!) Coming from New England, midwest friendliness might give us a fatal dose of culture shock!
05-24-2016, 11:59 AM
Location: Des Moines Metro
5,103 posts, read
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Reputation: 9793
I think you'll fit in just fine! Des Moines proper is middle of the road to fairly conservative, IMHO. West Des Moines, Clive, Waukee, and Ankeny may be a shade more liberal. I don't want to push that. I consider Iowa City and to a certain extent Ames to be much more liberal than around the metro.
No recovering mill towns. You might want to check on the water situation: some places will need to rebuild their water systems and will be hitting residents with high taxes. I don't have a list at hand. Just something to look at for yourselves if he accepts the job and you're looking outside of the metro at property.
There are a lot of good places to live. It'll depend a little on what sort of commute he wants. It's important to keep in mind that you're now on the edge of the prairie, which means a lot of wind. That makes for a different sort of winter commute than you're used to -- conditions can go from a gentle snowstorm to whiteout conditions in the blink of an eye, so if he needs to be at work at set times (OR ELSE) you might want to think about living much closer to his job than somewhere like Indianola, which is about 25 miles due south and a very cool place, but I wouldn't want to do that commute in the winter. Last winter was decent, only two really bad days where driving was doable but tough, but the winter before that had about a half-dozen storms, and I-35 and I-80 were both closed at least once.
You'll probably hate all of the newer subdivisions, but there are older ones farther out. Consider putting Grimes and Johnston on your list. They are closer.
I'm a transplant from Ohio. I didn't have any problems fitting in. I did under-estimate driving conditions several times during my first winter and had to dig myself out coming back from Ames. Lesson learned.
Lastly, I know it does resemble an "ant farm" on the map, but there's a lot of green spaces. I was surprised when I started actually driving the area. It's laid out fairly well. I went from a 45+ minute commute to less than 15 minutes most days (barring ice storms) and there's always something for me to see. I watch the trees change and the different birds: I saw a turkey vulture yesterday! I regularly see hawks and herons.
05-24-2016, 04:57 PM
Location: Des Moines
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There are a lot of great little communities around the perimeter of the metro. If you want towns that are smaller and likely to stay smaller look to the east of the metro. Most of the Metro growth is to the west and north right now. West Des Moines actually has a larger population of home schoolers than most other areas, so if having a community of like-minded people is important that might be a consideration.
With a large family like yours, finding older homes in those small communities may be a bit of a challenge. Building is an option you may want to consider.
05-25-2016, 09:22 AM
Location: MetroWest Boston
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I've lived in both places, and in my experience have found more commonalities than differences. The largest differences are geographical.
What part of NH are you coming from? Do you ever visit Boston? If so, you'll find Des Moines exponentially easier to manage.
Meemur provided an excellent summary of points to consider. One that I will add is that it will be much easier to find your way around - streets are grid based and much more logical than the winding routes of New England.
Another difference is that once you begin to leave the Des Moines metro area, towns become 'spread out', meaning that, while in NH you are used to endless adjacent towns, in Iowa, you will experience leaving a town (or Des Moines metro area) and travelling through open farmland until you reach the next town.
Lastly, consider how important it is for you to integrate into a community. Again, I'm not sure which part of NH you are coming from, but, when you enter into the really small farming communities in Iowa, these places can be very...inclined to sticking with what they know. This may make it difficult to be seen as a local instead of an outsider. On the other hand, Des Moines and its closer suburbs may feel much more 'rural' or easier going than you would think, if you were to make the comparison to larger NH or MA suburbs. My point is, the general shift in culture may lead you to find that even the closer suburbs, (or the outskirts of them), have much more of a small town feel than you might expect, when compared to New England suburbs.
Nothing can replace a visit to experience your different options first hand before moving, if that is an option for you.
05-25-2016, 10:41 AM
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Reputation: 114
Oh, very good info -- thanks, everyone!
We live on the west side of the state, near Vermont. Not far from Dartmouth College. Beautiful mountains, quite rural, with very cold, snowy winters. NH is definitely a windy state (the highest winds ever recorded as seen by man,) but probably not as consistently windy. We don't, for example, get blizzards, just heavy snow. Yes, I will miss our winters, if this happens.
I have been perusing the housing market around DesMoines and, can I say, OUCH? Wow, SO MANY $400K + houses! I was really shocked to see that. As expensive as the northeast is, I think DM is more expensive for our needs. I understand that many of them are McMansions and brand new construction; we rarely see any kind of new construction around here. I have to say I was discouraged as I always think of the midwest as a lot more affordable. You do beat us on taxes and I see that if we were willing to buy a smaller house with no land, we can get many, many deals in the innercity, but I couldn't bear to live in a city or suburb.
Actually, Nobodybody, other than the southern part of NH, you do not get town after town in NH. NH is 95% forest. Our small city is the biggest for 25 miles, so it's common for cities to be that far apart with nothing or small towns/villages in between. I am very happy with that.
I totally get the outsider thing, too. That is New Hampshire all-the-way. I hope that we could get involved with a church and that would help a lot. (Assuming that, unlike NH, there are a lot of good church options!) Otherwise, we have little time for a lot of community involvement, though we would definitely keep our eyes on community events.
Thanks so much for the responses! They really help. I am genuinely NERVE-WRACKED over this possibility and seeing the housing costs doesn't help. I hope to physically take a trip over there in early July.
05-25-2016, 11:25 AM
Location: Des Moines Metro
5,103 posts, read
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Reputation: 9793
OP, relax. You are looking at the huge homes in new subdivisions. Also, West Des Moines, Clive, Waukee -- these are expensive areas. I expect someone will chime in and discourage you from looking on the east side, but I live there, and it's not all Section 8 and scary foreigners. The area north on Hubble towards Altoona has large homes and land for a lot less. Look a little west of that. It looks bare on maps, but there are houses out there: NE area of Des Moines, a little west of Altoona, and south of Ankeny (also expensive, in town).
The farther you get out of Polk Country, the more prices will drop.
Another similar area is the south portion of Pleasant Hill. That's a prime area for For Sale by Owner.
Yes, come out and do some driving! The maps don't give you as good of a feel for this area, and I think a number of them are just plain wrong.
05-25-2016, 01:29 PM
80 posts, read
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Reputation: 114
Thanks so much Meemur -- that makes me feel a lot better. I see, what looks like a large metropolitan area, and I panic a little. We have lived in NH for 30 years and only moved once within the state (just 25 miles away.) Moving is NOT an adventure I seek, but it may be necessary. I will check out those areas.
05-25-2016, 02:19 PM
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
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Reputation: 1464
KristinNH, I think your family will fit in just fine. From my understanding, Iowa has a pretty strong network/support system for homeschoolers, so you should be able to meet like-minded folks pretty easily there. I also believe you should be able to find plenty of options within 30 minutes of West Des Moines.
I know of a few local families that are homeschooling their kids and one even lives in a smaller town 20 minutes or so outside of West Des Moines. Send me a private message if you're interested and I might be able to put you in contact with them.
05-25-2016, 04:32 PM
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Reputation: 32
Just so you know, Iowa is a Blue State, not a red state. Iowa has voted blue in the 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2008, and 2012 elections. 2004 was an anomaly for Bush. Despite what another poster said, Des Moines proper is democrat dominant, and the suburbs are mostly conservative republican.
05-25-2016, 04:40 PM
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
2,401 posts, read
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Reputation: 1464
^ Iowa is actually considered a purple/swing state by most.
Swing States to Watch in the 2016 Election
Will Swing States Increase in the 2016 Presidential Election?
Both our Senators are Republicans and 4 of 5 Congressmen are as well. The state House is Republican. State Senate is Democrat (by 1 or 2 seats?) Governor is Republican (although not really considered overly conservative).
I do agree with you that the suburbs tend to be conservative Republican. I'm not sure where the other poster got the notion it was otherwise?
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Mortgage status - with mortgage (%)
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House/condo owner moved in on average (years ago)
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Industry diversity
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Most Common Occupations - Office and administrative support occupations (%)
Most Common Occupations - Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations (%)
Most Common Occupations - Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations (%)
Most Common Occupations - Construction and extraction occupations (%)
Most Common Occupations - Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (%)
Most Common Occupations - Production, transportation, and material moving occupations (%)
Most Common Occupations - Production occupations (%)
Most Common Occupations - Transportation occupations (%)
Most Common Occupations - Material moving occupations (%)
People in Group quarters - Institutionalized population (%)
People in Group quarters - Correctional institutions (%)
People in Group quarters - Federal prisons and detention centers (%)
People in Group quarters - Halfway houses (%)
People in Group quarters - Local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups) (%)
People in Group quarters - Military disciplinary barracks (%)
People in Group quarters - State prisons (%)
People in Group quarters - Other types of correctional institutions (%)
People in Group quarters - Nursing homes (%)
People in Group quarters - Hospitals/wards, hospices, and schools for the handicapped (%)
People in Group quarters - Hospitals/wards and hospices for chronically ill (%)
People in Group quarters - Hospices or homes for chronically ill (%)
People in Group quarters - Military hospitals or wards for chronically ill (%)
People in Group quarters - Other hospitals or wards for chronically ill (%)
People in Group quarters - Hospitals or wards for drug/alcohol abuse (%)
People in Group quarters - Mental (Psychiatric) hospitals or wards (%)
People in Group quarters - Schools, hospitals, or wards for the mentally retarded (%)
People in Group quarters - Schools, hospitals, or wards for the physically handicapped (%)
People in Group quarters - Institutions for the deaf (%)
People in Group quarters - Institutions for the blind (%)
People in Group quarters - Orthopedic wards and institutions for the physically handicapped (%)
People in Group quarters - Wards in general hospitals for patients who have no usual home elsewhere (%)
People in Group quarters - Wards in military hospitals for patients who have no usual home elsewhere (%)
People in Group quarters - Juvenile institutions (%)
People in Group quarters - Long-term care (%)
People in Group quarters - Homes for abused, dependent, and neglected children (%)
People in Group quarters - Residential treatment centers for emotionally disturbed children (%)
People in Group quarters - Training schools for juvenile delinquents (%)
People in Group quarters - Short-term care, detention or diagnostic centers for delinquent children (%)
People in Group quarters - Type of juvenile institution unknown (%)
People in Group quarters - Noninstitutionalized population (%)
People in Group quarters - College dormitories (includes college quarters off campus) (%)
People in Group quarters - Military quarters (%)
People in Group quarters - On base (%)
People in Group quarters - Barracks, unaccompanied personnel housing (UPH), (Enlisted/Officer), ;and similar group living quarters for military personnel (%)
People in Group quarters - Transient quarters for temporary residents (%)
People in Group quarters - Military ships (%)
People in Group quarters - Group homes (%)
People in Group quarters - Homes or halfway houses for drug/alcohol abuse (%)
People in Group quarters - Homes for the mentally ill (%)
People in Group quarters - Homes for the mentally retarded (%)
People in Group quarters - Homes for the physically handicapped (%)
People in Group quarters - Other group homes (%)
People in Group quarters - Religious group quarters (%)
People in Group quarters - Dormitories (%)
People in Group quarters - Agriculture workers' dormitories on farms (%)
People in Group quarters - Job Corps and vocational training facilities (%)
People in Group quarters - Other workers' dormitories (%)
People in Group quarters - Crews of maritime vessels (%)
People in Group quarters - Other nonhousehold living situations (%)
People in Group quarters - Other noninstitutional group quarters (%)
Residents speaking English at home (%)
Residents speaking English at home - Born in the United States (%)
Residents speaking English at home - Native, born elsewhere (%)
Residents speaking English at home - Foreign born (%)
Residents speaking Spanish at home (%)
Residents speaking Spanish at home - Born in the United States (%)
Residents speaking Spanish at home - Native, born elsewhere (%)
Residents speaking Spanish at home - Foreign born (%)
Residents speaking other language at home (%)
Residents speaking other language at home - Born in the United States (%)
Residents speaking other language at home - Native, born elsewhere (%)
Residents speaking other language at home - Foreign born (%)
Class of Workers - Employee of private company (%)
Class of Workers - Self-employed in own incorporated business (%)
Class of Workers - Private not-for-profit wage and salary workers (%)
Class of Workers - Local government workers (%)
Class of Workers - State government workers (%)
Class of Workers - Federal government workers (%)
Class of Workers - Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business and Unpaid family workers (%)
House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Utility gas (%)
House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Bottled, tank, or LP gas (%)
House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Electricity (%)
House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. (%)
House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Coal or coke (%)
House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Wood (%)
House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Solar energy (%)
House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Other fuel (%)
House heating fuel used in houses and condos - No fuel used (%)
House heating fuel used in apartments - Utility gas (%)
House heating fuel used in apartments - Bottled, tank, or LP gas (%)
House heating fuel used in apartments - Electricity (%)
House heating fuel used in apartments - Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. (%)
House heating fuel used in apartments - Coal or coke (%)
House heating fuel used in apartments - Wood (%)
House heating fuel used in apartments - Solar energy (%)
House heating fuel used in apartments - Other fuel (%)
House heating fuel used in apartments - No fuel used (%)
Armed forces status - In Armed Forces (%)
Armed forces status - Civilian (%)
Armed forces status - Civilian - Veteran (%)
Armed forces status - Civilian - Nonveteran (%)
Fatal accidents locations in years 2005-2021
Fatal accidents locations in 2005
Fatal accidents locations in 2006
Fatal accidents locations in 2007
Fatal accidents locations in 2008
Fatal accidents locations in 2009
Fatal accidents locations in 2010
Fatal accidents locations in 2011
Fatal accidents locations in 2012
Fatal accidents locations in 2013
Fatal accidents locations in 2014
Fatal accidents locations in 2015
Fatal accidents locations in 2016
Fatal accidents locations in 2017
Fatal accidents locations in 2018
Fatal accidents locations in 2019
Fatal accidents locations in 2020
Fatal accidents locations in 2021
Alcohol use - People drinking some alcohol every month (%)
Alcohol use - People not drinking at all (%)
Alcohol use - Average days/month drinking alcohol
Alcohol use - Average drinks/week
Alcohol use - Average days/year people drink much
Audiometry - Average condition of hearing (%)
Audiometry - People that can hear a whisper from across a quiet room (%)
Audiometry - People that can hear normal voice from across a quiet room (%)
Audiometry - Ears ringing, roaring, buzzing (%)
Audiometry - Had a job exposure to loud noise (%)
Audiometry - Had off-work exposure to loud noise (%)
Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Has high blood pressure (%)
Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Checking blood pressure at home (%)
Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Frequently checking blood cholesterol (%)
Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Has high cholesterol level (%)
Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on food at supermarket/grocery store
Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on food at other stores
Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on eating out
Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on carryout/delivered foods
Consumer Behavior - Income spent on food at supermarket/grocery store (%)
Consumer Behavior - Income spent on food at other stores (%)
Consumer Behavior - Income spent on eating out (%)
Consumer Behavior - Income spent on carryout/delivered foods (%)
Current Health Status - General health condition (%)
Current Health Status - Blood donors (%)
Current Health Status - Has blood ever tested for HIV virus (%)
Current Health Status - Left-handed people (%)
Dermatology - People using sunscreen (%)
Diabetes - Diabetics (%)
Diabetes - Had a blood test for high blood sugar (%)
Diabetes - People taking insulin (%)
Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Diet health (%)
Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Milk product consumption (# of products/month)
Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Meals not home prepared (#/week)
Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Meals from fast food or pizza place (#/week)
Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Ready-to-eat foods (#/month)
Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Frozen meals/pizza (#/month)
Drug Use - People that ever used marijuana or hashish (%)
Drug Use - Ever used hard drugs (%)
Drug Use - Ever used any form of cocaine (%)
Drug Use - Ever used heroin (%)
Drug Use - Ever used methamphetamine (%)
Health Insurance - People covered by health insurance (%)
Kidney Conditions-Urology - Avg. # of times urinating at night
Medical Conditions - People with asthma (%)
Medical Conditions - People with anemia (%)
Medical Conditions - People with psoriasis (%)
Medical Conditions - People with overweight (%)
Medical Conditions - Elderly people having difficulties in thinking or remembering (%)
Medical Conditions - People who ever received blood transfusion (%)
Medical Conditions - People having trouble seeing even with glass/contacts (%)
Medical Conditions - People with arthritis (%)
Medical Conditions - People with gout (%)
Medical Conditions - People with congestive heart failure (%)
Medical Conditions - People with coronary heart disease (%)
Medical Conditions - People with angina pectoris (%)
Medical Conditions - People who ever had heart attack (%)
Medical Conditions - People who ever had stroke (%)
Medical Conditions - People with emphysema (%)
Medical Conditions - People with thyroid problem (%)
Medical Conditions - People with chronic bronchitis (%)
Medical Conditions - People with any liver condition (%)
Medical Conditions - People who ever had cancer or malignancy (%)
Mental Health - People who have little interest in doing things (%)
Mental Health - People feeling down, depressed, or hopeless (%)
Mental Health - People who have trouble sleeping or sleeping too much (%)
Mental Health - People feeling tired or having little energy (%)
Mental Health - People with poor appetite or overeating (%)
Mental Health - People feeling bad about themself (%)
Mental Health - People who have trouble concentrating on things (%)
Mental Health - People moving or speaking slowly or too fast (%)
Mental Health - People having thoughts they would be better off dead (%)
Oral Health - Average years since last visit a dentist
Oral Health - People embarrassed because of mouth (%)
Oral Health - People with gum disease (%)
Oral Health - General health of teeth and gums (%)
Oral Health - Average days a week using dental floss/device
Oral Health - Average days a week using mouthwash for dental problem
Oral Health - Average number of teeth
Pesticide Use - Households using pesticides to control insects (%)
Pesticide Use - Households using pesticides to kill weeds (%)
Physical Activity - People doing vigorous-intensity work activities (%)
Physical Activity - People doing moderate-intensity work activities (%)
Physical Activity - People walking or bicycling (%)
Physical Activity - People doing vigorous-intensity recreational activities (%)
Physical Activity - People doing moderate-intensity recreational activities (%)
Physical Activity - Average hours a day doing sedentary activities
Physical Activity - Average hours a day watching TV or videos
Physical Activity - Average hours a day using computer
Physical Functioning - People having limitations keeping them from working (%)
Physical Functioning - People limited in amount of work they can do (%)
Physical Functioning - People that need special equipment to walk (%)
Physical Functioning - People experiencing confusion/memory problems (%)
Physical Functioning - People requiring special healthcare equipment (%)
Prescription Medications - Average number of prescription medicines taking
Preventive Aspirin Use - Adults 40+ taking low-dose aspirin (%)
Reproductive Health - Vaginal deliveries (%)
Reproductive Health - Cesarean deliveries (%)
Reproductive Health - Deliveries resulted in a live birth (%)
Reproductive Health - Pregnancies resulted in a delivery (%)
Reproductive Health - Women breastfeeding newborns (%)
Reproductive Health - Women that had a hysterectomy (%)
Reproductive Health - Women that had both ovaries removed (%)
Reproductive Health - Women that have ever taken birth control pills (%)
Reproductive Health - Women taking birth control pills (%)
Reproductive Health - Women that have ever used Depo-Provera or injectables (%)
Reproductive Health - Women that have ever used female hormones (%)
Sexual Behavior - People 18+ that ever had sex (vaginal, anal, or oral) (%)
Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever had vaginal sex with a woman (%)
Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever performed oral sex on a woman (%)
Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever had anal sex with a woman (%)
Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever had any sex with a man (%)
Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever had vaginal sex with a man (%)
Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever performed oral sex on a man (%)
Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever had anal sex with a man (%)
Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever had any kind of sex with a woman (%)
Sexual Behavior - Average age people first had sex
Sexual Behavior - Average number of female sex partners in lifetime (males 18+)
Sexual Behavior - Average number of female vaginal sex partners in lifetime (males 18+)
Sexual Behavior - Average age people first performed oral sex on a woman (18+)
Sexual Behavior - Average number of woman performed oral sex on in lifetime (18+)
Sexual Behavior - Average number of male sex partners in lifetime (males 18+)
Sexual Behavior - Average number of male anal sex partners in lifetime (males 18+)
Sexual Behavior - Average age people first performed oral sex on a man (18+)
Sexual Behavior - Average number of male oral sex partners in lifetime (18+)
Sexual Behavior - People using protection when performing oral sex (%)
Sexual Behavior - Average number of times people have vaginal or anal sex a year
Sexual Behavior - People having sex without condom (%)
Sexual Behavior - Average number of male sex partners in lifetime (females 18+)
Sexual Behavior - Average number of male vaginal sex partners in lifetime (females 18+)
Sexual Behavior - Average number of female sex partners in lifetime (females 18+)
Sexual Behavior - Circumcised males 18+ (%)
Sleep Disorders - Average hours sleeping at night
Sleep Disorders - People that has trouble sleeping (%)
Smoking-Cigarette Use - People smoking cigarettes (%)
Taste & Smell - People 40+ having problems with smell (%)
Taste & Smell - People 40+ having problems with taste (%)
Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had wisdom teeth removed (%)
Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had tonsils teeth removed (%)
Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had a loss of consciousness because of a head injury (%)
Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had a broken nose or other serious injury to face or skull (%)
Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had two or more sinus infections (%)
Weight - Average height (inches)
Weight - Average weight (pounds)
Weight - Average BMI
Weight - People that are obese (%)
Weight - People that ever were obese (%)
Weight - People trying to lose weight (%)