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Old 04-10-2013, 10:10 PM
 
1,824 posts, read 1,721,391 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WillowDeb View Post
Looking for a small SAFE town in Iowa where we can live in peace with minimal crime. Does a place like this exist in Iowa around the Ames/Des Moines area? Want an area where neighbors are friendly and respectful and where we watch out for each other. Are we expecting too much?

Check out Polk City! There crime rate is 1/8 th of the US average, They have a lovely 1800s square block park almost completely covered by gigantic shade trees. But it is a growing city. Still not so big, a few thousand people. You would have many of your basic services there, & for more shopping, restaurants, medical & other services, entertainment, etc, about 10 miles to Ankeny, about 20 miles to Des Moines.
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Old 04-11-2013, 04:44 AM
 
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GJJ, Isn't Polk City becoming a bedroom community for Des Moines? That would turn me off if I was looking for a quiet small town away from the sprawl of the city. It does look like a nice town though.
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Old 04-11-2013, 06:51 AM
 
Location: Minneapolis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by todd00 View Post
GJJ, Isn't Polk City becoming a bedroom community for Des Moines? That would turn me off if I was looking for a quiet small town away from the sprawl of the city. It does look like a nice town though.
OP wants something in the Ames/Des Moines area. Polk City is between Ames and Des Moines. It is a bit of a Des Moines suburb (certainly it will definitely be one once Ankeny overtakes it), but it's very far removed from the urban core and I'd say it feels enough like its own town.
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Old 04-11-2013, 08:50 AM
 
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by todd00 View Post
GJJ, Isn't Polk City becoming a bedroom community for Des Moines? That would turn me off if I was looking for a quiet small town away from the sprawl of the city. It does look like a nice town though.
I know several people who work with me in downtown Des Moines who live in Polk City so I'd agree, it is definately a bedroom community for DM.

Since the OP specifically titled the thread "Rural town..." (emphasis "rural"?) IMO, Polk City wouldn't be what he/she was looking for.
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Old 04-11-2013, 09:44 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by capitalcityguy View Post
I know several people who work with me in downtown Des Moines who live in Polk City so I'd agree, it is definately a bedroom community for DM.

Since the OP specifically titled the thread "Rural town..." (emphasis "rural"?) IMO, Polk City wouldn't be what he/she was looking for.
Honestly, I don't think any town that is in close proximity to DM would really a "rural town." To truly be rural it would need to be a bit more isolated, IMO. Any small town within 45 minutes or so of a metro is going to have residents of that metro living there. KWIM?
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Old 04-11-2013, 10:17 AM
 
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
2,401 posts, read 4,349,631 times
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Hopefully the OP comes back and clarifies exactly what they are looking for. If you take out the "rural", I would argue you could find neighborhoods within many of the metro cities that would meet the OP's other requirements.
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Old 04-11-2013, 11:05 AM
 
459 posts, read 2,228,152 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by todd00 View Post
GJJ, Isn't Polk City becoming a bedroom community for Des Moines? That would turn me off if I was looking for a quiet small town away from the sprawl of the city. It does look like a nice town though.
Polk City is essentially a suburb of Des Moines and I would I hesitate to even consider it an exurban community any longer. Polk City is about 1 mile from the contiguous development of Ankeny and the only thing separating it from the contiguous development of Johnston is 1 mile of lake water.
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Old 04-11-2013, 11:19 AM
 
Location: Keosauqua, Iowa
9,614 posts, read 21,267,886 times
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I'd probably point the OP toward Slater or Huxley. Slater has more of a small-town feel to me where Huxley definitely feels like more of an "extended suburb" despite the fact that it is disconnected from both Ames and Ankeny by several miles. Both are clean and safe - Huxley has a large (for it's size) and very visible police force, just make sure to watch your speed and wear your seat belt! - and have basic services. Huxley is right on highway 69 and just off I-35 so is a little more accessible to both Ames and DSM but Slater is only about 5 miles to the west.
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Old 04-11-2013, 07:43 PM
 
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My sister lives in van meeter ia, just west of desmoines. I haven't heard of much if any crime there. it is small I think all it has is a casey's general store but it is less than 10 minutes to the city. I should also mention that my sister has a 9 and 6 year old and a 5 month old and she says that it is a nice family place
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Old 04-17-2013, 09:26 AM
 
Location: Calera, AL
1,485 posts, read 2,252,776 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duster1979 View Post
I'd probably point the OP toward Slater or Huxley. Slater has more of a small-town feel to me where Huxley definitely feels like more of an "extended suburb" despite the fact that it is disconnected from both Ames and Ankeny by several miles. Both are clean and safe - Huxley has a large (for it's size) and very visible police force, just make sure to watch your speed and wear your seat belt! - and have basic services. Huxley is right on highway 69 and just off I-35 so is a little more accessible to both Ames and DSM but Slater is only about 5 miles to the west.
Second this. Huxley is awesome. Just 10 minutes from Ames and Des Moines.

You might want to consider Granger, Woodward, or Madrid too. Granger and Woodward are right off 141 and easily accessible to DSM. Madrid is a little further out on 17, but also provides much easier access to Ames and Boone.
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