Moving from AZ to IA (Cedar Rapids, Iowa City: apartment complexes, rental, crime)

[cochranteam]

My family and I are relocating from Phoenix, AZ to Cedar Rapids Iowa area. We are from the mid-west originally but have never visited IA. I will be working in the Hiawatha area and am looking for suggestions on cities to live in with great schools...we have a 1st grader and 7th grader.

I heard from other Iowans to stay away from Southest areas of Cedar Rapids. We have been looking at Marion, Iowa City, Solon and North Liberty. Looking to rent a nice home and purchase after a year of residency. Seem to be finding the most rental houses available in Iowa City but that is approx. over an hour drive to Hiawatha...?

Looking for any opinions about towns with great school districts that welcome families with younger children. Appreciate any feedback!

Thanks!

[Chicago60614]

Iowa City to Hiawatha isn't going to be over an hour. It's around 30 miles, and almost all of it is interstate. I would guess you could get there in around 35-40 minutes or so? Haven't done that drive much, so not sure, but you're not going to see freeway backups or anything like that.

If you're living in North Liberty and getting on I-380 from there, you're going to look at less than 30 minutes.

Watch where you're living in Iowa City if you're renting houses. The University of Iowa is there with 30,000 college students - hence you're seeing a lot more rental options. It's not bad from a crime situation, just bad if you're a family looking to live a quiet normal life - and you plop down surrounded by a couple thousand college kids who like to party.

The Iowa City area is great though (as well as Cedar Rapids). The west side of Iowa City has some really nice neighborhoods, and easy access to the interstate. You're going to find very good school regardless of where you go. I would keep an eye on North Liberty and Coralville as well since they're good places, great for families (especially coralville) and are at least on the north end of the metro.

Aside from that - there's really no reason not to live in Cedar Rapids. It has a few problem areas, but they're not large, and it's not like some out of control ghetto. Hiawatha, Marion and the north side of CR are all great areas - and you'll be right next to work. I always like the west and east sides of CR as well. The only trouble areas I've heard (and i'm from Iowa City - so I don't know a lot) are portions of the southeast part of town, right east and south of downtown?

[CampbellsChunkySoupra]

West side of IC is a great part of the city. Filters right into IC West High school which is a great educational system. If you live in CR or in Marion/Linn Marr stick with any of the public schools. Do a little research if you care about your kids playing athletics. Marion is 3A and suburban...where as the 4A class schools in CR will be more diverse. Solon always has good things said about them.

Stay away from anything in the southern and eastern areas of IC. Keep to the West or out towards Coralville. Solon is nice but definitely small town. Might be able to find a super deal in CR from all of the floods that happened a few years back on a newly remodeled home.

[regn95]

I would suggest living in the same town you work in if not even the same neighborhood. You lose time and money driving.

[hugepossum]

I was going to say, why don't you just find a house in Hiawatha or thereabouts. That's a pretty nice area. Marion schools might be a bit more what you are looking for.

I would personally not live in IC if I had to commute to Hiawatha every day; that just wouldn't make much sense.

[mustang84]

Live in Cedar Rapids. The gas & wear and tear on your vehicle is an unnecessary extra expense when you have children.

The only areas I would tell you to avoid in Cedar Rapids are the southeast side neighborhood known as Wellington Heights, which is right next to downtown. Most of the southeast side is fine...in fact, some of the nicest homes in CR are in the southeast quadrant. Also avoid areas of the Southwest side near Westdale Mall and over on 16th Street near Arrowridge and Raintree Apartments. There are low-income apartment complexes that seem to be crime generators.

Northwest and Northeast CR are great areas with nice neighborhoods. I prefer the Northwest side because there is less traffic and hilly, wooded topography that creates some really beautiful neighborhoods (check out the area south of Glass Road between Edgewood and I-380). Hiawatha and Marion are nice suburbs, but those areas have seen lots of growth lately and there is sometimes traffic congestion on Boyson Rd. and Collins Rd.