I think I've decided on Iowa City but could you fill in some info? (Cedar Rapids: rent)

[operaphantom2003]

I am down to Iowa City or Spencer to move to. I have lost my transportation there though so now have to pay for a moving van. Would $3,000 be enough to get started again (deposits, etc)? Which city is better? My son wants soccer and I just want a safer city. What are the drawbacks to each city? I would be walking/public transportation for a while which is no problem if most things are within 2-3 miles.

[jmgg]

For just safety sake, Spencer would be a much safer community. BIG difference in size between Iowa City/Coralville and Spencer. Iowa City/Coralville has got to be around 90,000 people vs Spencer's 12,000 to 15,000.

With the University of Iowa at Iowa City, you're going to get the good with the bad. Iowa City has so much to do there. It's a hopping town. I LOVE to visit there. Iowa City has lots of bus routes and a fleet of taxis mainly because of the U and the students. It also has some bigger city problems that have been popping up over the recent years. Some areas of town I wouldn't let my young children run unattended in.

Spencer's public transportation issue I'm not familiar with. With the big difference is community size, I doubt getting around Spencer would be very difficult. I'd phone their chamber of commerce.

Spencer has one big thing going for it if you're raising a family and looking for family fun. The Iowa Great Lakes are only about 20 miles straight north.

To do any major shopping, you'll have to drive a ways from Spencer. The nearest much larger city would be Sioux Falls and that's about 120 miles away. At Iowa City, you're already in a larger town and you've got a much larger community, Cedar Rapids, only about 20 miles away.

I don't think Iowa City is exceptionally expensive to live in based on all the times I've been there. I know housing is very reasonable. I've got quite a few relatives there and rent there is comparable to around Sioux Falls (where I live now).

My "guess" is Spencer might be just a little more economical for the basics.

The biggest danger living in Spencer would be just crossing the main street. It's a pretty good jaunt just getting from one side to the other. When driving down main street, you won't have to worry about scratching any parked cars.

As to soccer, Iowa City schools play in the largest class in Iowa so of course there would be a soccer program in town. Spencer's a large enough community that I'd be shocked if they didn't have some kind of soccer program. Once again, contact their chamber of commerce.

[TheFarmer'sDaughter]

From a safety perspective, Spencer is going to be safer. It's much smaller and not a college town. Iowa City is not that expensive (that's my opinion anyway), but Spencer will probably be cheaper, due to it's size and location. Iowa City is a walkable city, most things are in reach whether by walking or public transit. Due to each nature as a college town, it has very developed transportation system. I am not familiar with Spencer's, if they have any at all. But, as small as it is, it's probably do-able just to walk. I read somewhere here that IC does have a soccer program, which is not a big surprise, and if Spencer doesn't have one through the school, they probably have one through an organization like the YMCA. Really, it's up to you and what you want in a place to live. Are you looking for that small town feel, where kids ride their bikes and neighbors know each other, etc, etc? Then you might want to go with smaller Spencer. If you need more job opps, more shopping, want your kid to go to college close to home, maybe you could try IC. $3000 should do you okay, I think you'll be fine.

[neanerbean]

TheFarmer'sDaughter : Are you looking for that small town feel, where kids ride their bikes and neighbors know each other, etc, etc? Then you might want to go with smaller Spencer.

You really can't make a blanket statement. I live in Iowa city and everyone knows everyone in their neighborhood and beyond and lkids are always riding bikes, It's like a regular town only bigger. I'm not fond of Spencer because even though it's a larger town there doesn't seem to be much to do and the job opps may not be the best because in small towns if one major employer leaves or does a mass layoff it has a domino effect on the town not that it won't be bad in a bigger city but it won't be as hard hit plus Iowa city has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation.

Spencer doesn't have any public transportation or taxis that I have ever heard of most small towns don't.

Good luck

[aw48203]

Originally Posted by operaphantom2003

I am down to Iowa City or Spencer to move to. I have lost my transportation there though so now have to pay for a moving van. Would $3,000 be enough to get started again (deposits, etc)? Which city is better? My son wants soccer and I just want a safer city. What are the drawbacks to each city? I would be walking/public transportation for a while which is no problem if most things are within 2-3 miles.

Where are you moving from that would cost $3000?

[operaphantom2003]

Right now I live in Utah and the 3 grand would have to cover deposits, first/last month rent, etc. I have moved a lot in my life but that usually just involved a backpack and a bus ticket. I can't do that anymore because I now have a 5 year old tagging along