Questions about relocating to Iowa

[il_blguy87]

move to Minnesota st. paul area or Illinois, preferably Chicago suburbs. Naperville has very good public schools in area. Of course everything there is little more expensive, but there is more excitement. If you have family there, you're gonna be still within driving distance for less than half day. Iowa is overrated as best and safest place to raise kids or family.

[Dport7674]

Originally Posted by il_blguy87

move to Minnesota st. paul area or Illinois, preferably Chicago suburbs. Naperville has very good public schools in area. Of course everything there is little more expensive, but there is more excitement. If you have family there, you're gonna be still within driving distance for less than half day. Iowa is overrated as best and safest place to raise kids or family.

The OP ask about Iowa,hunting and fishing and you throw Naperville out there?

Way to bring good info to the thread!

[jeni82]

My family is getting ready to move back to Iowa after a 7 year hiatus by year-end. My husband's entire family lives there and we have done research on the schools. My husband will be working in Ames (where we went to college) but we are leaning toward Ankeny just because the housing style is moreso in line with what we have grown accustomed to and the schools in Ankeny are great. Interesting that you picked 3 cities in the middle of Iowa and one area on the eastern edge - unless you will work for Deere. Of those, I would go with Johnston but have admittedly never been to Grimes. I am not a hunter so I can't help you out on that.

I have friends that used to live in my current area that now live in Johnston and I visited them. Whoever said that there is a small town feel to Johnston is right on. My friends said that they can get to downtown DSM in about 15-20 minutes which is a HUGE improvement (like half off suburban Indianapolis commute to downtown). They live in an area being developed and it really feels like it is out in the middle of nowhere. From one of the sources I looked at, Johnston had the best rated schools in the state.

One of my husband's brothers lives in the Quad Cities (Bettendorf, specifically) and lived in Davenport before that. They moved just to get into the Pleasant Valley School District. They said it was the best in the Quad Cities but I haven't researched that because we aren't moving to that area.

As for Des Moines, school districts will be hit or miss just like they are with any other metro area.

[il_blguy87]

Originally Posted by Dport7674

The OP ask about Iowa,hunting and fishing and you throw Naperville out there?

Way to bring good info to the thread!

Illinois has hunting club and licenses. If they wanna feel like in Iowa but stay close to big city, they could move to Dwight or Kankakee. I see the family indicated they were raised there and have there family so I no longer wonder why they wanna settle down in IA. That's very common. I wish them good luck.

[hawkeye2009]

Originally Posted by Jdj7

My family and I plan on relocating to Iowa next year. We are looking at Johnston, Grimes, Quad Cities and Des Moines. We have two children that will be attending elementary school. I was wondering how the schools are, what the housing market is like, what the hunting is like, and any other info anyone could provide. Thank you.

Schools are very good in Johnston, Grimes and the west side of Des Moines. I would avoid the east and northeast. Quad Cities- look to Bettendorf or PV. If you are in the Davenport proper, consider the McClellan Heights area.

Housing- cheaper in the Quad Cities. Anywhere in Des Moines will be more expensive, even when you get to smaller adjacent towns like Bondurant and Grimes.

Hunting- Pheasants are wiped out in Iowa. Deer and turkey are VERY plentiful. Best places? South of I-80 and roughly east of Des Moines. The best deer hunting is directly south toward Albia. Turkey are EVERYWHERE.

[Wisedupmom]

Jobs?

[capitalcityguy]

Originally Posted by Wisedupmom

Jobs?

Which part of the state? City or rural?