How would you compare Des Moines to Omaha? (Council Bluffs, Ames: insurance, home)

[ctr88]

How would you compare these two:

-downtown
-neighborhoods
-housing affordability and quality of housing
-scenery, parks, outdoors
-friendliness of people
-things to do
-traffic

What do you think is overall the nicer city to live in?

[jmgg]

Originally Posted by ctr88

How would you compare these two:

-downtown
-neighborhoods
-housing affordability and quality of housing
-scenery, parks, outdoors
-friendliness of people
-things to do
-traffic

What do you think is overall the nicer city to live in?

I'll put in my 2 cents. Oldest daughter lives in a suburb of Des Moines, son lives in a suburb of Omaha. I go to both places frequently.


-downtown - Downtown Omaha is vibrant in comparison to Des Moines. Downtown Des Moines is kind of bland.


-neighborhoods- Comparable in many areas. As per dangerous neighborhoods, the worst of Des Moines isn't close to Omaha's worst. This has a lot to do with the size of the core cities (excluding the suburbs) with Omaha being much larger.


-housing affordability and quality of housing - A about a year ago, Omaha was ranked #1 in the nation for places to live where you keep a higher percentage of your income after all taxes, home prices, insurance, and your average pay scale were figured in. Des Moines is a city encircled by much larger suburbs than Omaha which pumps up their metro area population a lot. These suburbs based on what I've seen provide really nice housing opportunities. Omaha's outside situation, especially including Council Bluffs which has some really run down parts, is not as nice. Obvious exceptions being the far south suburbs which are quite wealthy.


-scenery, parks, outdoors- I think they're pretty comparable with Omaha maybe having a slight edge with the Loess Hills nearby. I really can't compare the different park systems.


-friendliness of people - Same type of people in both towns in general. They're in the Midwest where most people treat others with a smile and basic courtesy.


-things to do - Being a sports guy. Omaha's venues with the Century Link Center and the beautiful new baseball stadium downtown that hosts the College World Series every year definitely bests what Des Moines has. Both cities have AAA baseball teams that play in very nice ball parks. Then there's the comparison of the zoos. I've been to both. The zoo in Des Moines is nice and clean, but isn't quite as large as our zoo in Sioux Falls. The Henry Dourly Zoo in Omaha? Simply remarkable and easily one of the top zoos in the United States and the world. Des Moines has one big plus Omaha doesn't have and that's the Iowa State Fair. A must see for anyone. It's huge and really well laid out and FUN. I can't imagine a better state fair anywhere else in the country. I've only been there once, but can't wait to go again. As to theater and the arts, no opinion here as I haven't been to anything in either place.


-traffic - Both can be bad during rush hour by Midwestern standards. By standards lived in by people from places like Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, the NE mega cities, etc., the traffic in Omaha and Des Moines is child's play. I find both cities pretty easy to get around in.


Conclusion? I could easily live in either one.

[ctr88]

Originally Posted by jmgg

I'll put in my 2 cents. Oldest daughter lives in a suburb of Des Moines, son lives in a suburb of Omaha. I go to both places frequently.


-downtown - Downtown Omaha is vibrant in comparison to Des Moines. Downtown Des Moines is kind of bland.


-neighborhoods- Comparable in many areas. As per dangerous neighborhoods, the worst of Des Moines isn't close to Omaha's worst. This has a lot to do with the size of the core cities (excluding the suburbs) with Omaha being much larger.


-housing affordability and quality of housing - A about a year ago, Omaha was ranked #1 in the nation for places to live where you keep a higher percentage of your income after all taxes, home prices, insurance, and your average pay scale were figured in. Des Moines is a city encircled by much larger suburbs than Omaha which pumps up their metro area population a lot. These suburbs based on what I've seen provide really nice housing opportunities. Omaha's outside situation, especially including Council Bluffs which has some really run down parts, is not as nice. Obvious exceptions being the far south suburbs which are quite wealthy.


-scenery, parks, outdoors- I think they're pretty comparable with Omaha maybe having a slight edge with the Loess Hills nearby. I really can't compare the different park systems.


-friendliness of people - Same type of people in both towns in general. They're in the Midwest where most people treat others with a smile and basic courtesy.


-things to do - Being a sports guy. Omaha's venues with the Century Link Center and the beautiful new baseball stadium downtown that hosts the College World Series every year definitely bests what Des Moines has. Both cities have AAA baseball teams that play in very nice ball parks. Then there's the comparison of the zoos. I've been to both. The zoo in Des Moines is nice and clean, but isn't quite as large as our zoo in Sioux Falls. The Henry Dourly Zoo in Omaha? Simply remarkable and easily one of the top zoos in the United States and the world. Des Moines has one big plus Omaha doesn't have and that's the Iowa State Fair. A must see for anyone. It's huge and really well laid out and FUN. I can't imagine a better state fair anywhere else in the country. I've only been there once, but can't wait to go again. As to theater and the arts, no opinion here as I haven't been to anything in either place.


-traffic - Both can be bad during rush hour by Midwestern standards. By standards lived in by people from places like Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, the NE mega cities, etc., the traffic in Omaha and Des Moines is child's play. I find both cities pretty easy to get around in.


Conclusion? I could easily live in either one.

Thanks for the great info!

I'm a sports guy too, especially college athletics. Omaha would offer three division one college programs within striking distance...Creighton, Univ NE/Omaha, Univ of NE/Lincoln (if you wanted to make a drive). That is really cool Omaha hosts the college baseball world series. Des Moines would offer Drake and Iowa State (if one wanted to drive up to Ames).

I would imagine Omaha might have a better airport with more direct connections and cheaper flights too.

[Meemur]

My $.02: there are a lot of really cool things to do and see in Omaha! I certainly don't deny that.

On the other side of the coin, since Des Moines is smaller, the rush hour is shorter and a lot less stressful. In fact, if you watch where you live, you might not be impacted by rush hour at all during your commute. I'm not, unless I were to take the freeway to work. My commute is 15 minutes (or less) most days.

When I visit Omaha on a weekday, I have to be aware of the time so as not to get caught in rush hour traffic, which can add another 30 - 45 minutes to my trip back to Iowa.

I'm older -- having a short, easy commute means more to me than living in a larger area at this point.

[ctr88]

Originally Posted by Meemur

My $.02: there are a lot of really cool things to do and see in Omaha! I certainly don't deny that.

On the other side of the coin, since Des Moines is smaller, the rush hour is shorter and a lot less stressful. In fact, if you watch where you live, you might not be impacted by rush hour at all during your commute. I'm not, unless I were to take the freeway to work. My commute is 15 minutes (or less) most days.

When I visit Omaha on a weekday, I have to be aware of the time so as not to get caught in rush hour traffic, which can add another 30 - 45 minutes to my trip back to Iowa.

I'm older -- having a short, easy commute means more to me than living in a larger area at this point.

Less traffic is ALWAYS a nice advantage

[ION1010]

What others said. (Don't be on the roads in Omaha at 5 on a weekday). If food is important, Omaha has waaay better, both dining and grocery. Lots of great delis.