What is the Number 1 place to live and work in Iowa? (Des Moines: house, rent)

[Southside Shrek]

What do you think would be the Number 1 ideal place to live and work in Iowa? A place which would have the following:



a) clean and safe environment

b) easy short drive to work

c) good schools

d) quality and friendly people

e) adequate stores, shopping, restaurants and a thriving economic base

[chrisfromiowa]

i would say either Davenport or Iowa City...both have big malls, lots of people moving there from all over, and IA City has the University of Iowa there so a big college influenced town...both are relatively safe...IA City more so than Davenport, but im sure IA City has bad places too...I would say theres probably a 20-30 minute commute or maybe less in both cities...which isnt bad for big cities...

[SpeedyAZ]

Dubuque is a great area althought it does have some bad neighborhoods. In terms of things to do, it has plenty (well...for Iowa). It's located on the river which is good for both tourism and economic profit.

a thriving economic base

You may want to look somewhere other than Iowa, maybe Omaha? No place in Iowa has a "thriving" economic base, adequate but not even close to thriving.

i would say either Davenport or Iowa City...both have big malls, lots of people moving there from all over, and IA City has the University of Iowa there so a big college influenced town...both are relatively safe...IA City more so than Davenport, but im sure IA City has bad places too...I would say theres probably a 20-30 minute commute or maybe less in both cities...which isnt bad for big cities...

Big cities? Davenport has roughly 100,000 and Iowa City has what....60,000? Not even close to being "big cities". Heck I live in a city of 250,000 and I consider it to be fairly small (not small but definetly not large).

[Tek_Freek]

Absolutely... West Des Moines.

a) Check the stats on this site for crime, etc.

b) Are you in insurance or credit? Want to work for Wells Fargo or any number of insurance companies? We are #3 in the world for insurance.

c) The best. Period.

d) I'm here aren't I? A good mix. The area is amazingly diverse. If you have a favorite food you can't get where you are, it will be available here. A previous governer was a great believer in bringing oppressed people to Iowa, and we have been blessed by the outcome. And, no, I'm not. I'm an Iowa native.

e) Shopping: You'll collapse before you get through it all. Restaurants. Covered earlier, but it does include Des Moines, and Valley Junction (the original West Des Moines), and a bunch of small towns within easy driving. Economic base? Wells Fargo just built a "campus" that is slated to employ about (I think) 2500 to 3000. This in addition to a huge credit card office, etc, etc, etc. Add in Principle, Prudential, and a slew of others I can't remember. The farm economy is about to go through the roof with Ethanol. You wouldn't believe the money pouring into that field. Even railroads are scrambling to build tankers because Ethanol apparently doesn't truck well over long distances. Oh, yeah Farm Bureau is just down the road a bit...

You may want to look somewhere other than Iowa, maybe Omaha? No place in Iowa has a "thriving" economic base, adequate but not even close to thriving.

Huh? Where do you live? Obviously not anywhere near West Des Moines. This area is growing so fast it makes your head spin. Waukee is about become a suburb, Adel look out!

Had to edit this. Pheasant population is dropping drastically. Noticed in another post that you hunt. If you're willing to switch to deer you can now get a license to hunt "back yards", really! The deer population is so high you can build a blind 25 feet off the ground 100 feet from a house and hunt deer.

We gotta lotta deer 'round here!

Try it, you'll like it.

[SpeedyAZ]

This area is growing so fast it makes your head spin.

Really? I find that hard to swallow considering there are few major industries in Iowa besides ethanol, pork/beef products, and corn/ beans. And growing fast? Give me a break!

[Southside Shrek]

Trying to stay on a positive note about the Hawkeye State, I see that Iowans have a heart too which I like.

I just caught this older NYT news story about 4 Amish being released from jail in Buchanan County, Iowa because they were being spoiled by modern conveniences. Apparently an Iowa Amishman can never be jailed very long no matter what the crime.





National News Briefs; 4 Amish Inmates Freed; Jail Was 'Ruining' Them

New York Times
Published: August 29, 1999

Four Amish inmates jailed for vandalizing a neighbor's farm were released early this month in part because officials feared they were being spoiled by modern conveniences like plumbing and electricity .

''The TV, the electric light, telephone and running water -- I think they were starting to like it here,'' said the Buchanan County jail administrator, Russell West. ''I thought we better get them out of here because they were getting too used to it. I think we were ruining them here.''

The four pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal mischief and were sentenced in May to 90 days in jail. They were released on Aug. 19 after serving 72 days.

About 400 of the 700 residents of nearby Hazleton are Old Order Amish, who have no electricity and few modern conveniences. They ride horse-drawn buggies instead of automobiles.