Des Moines or Cedar Rapids? (Iowa City, Woodward: housing, rent, jobs)

[MovingToIowa]

Which city is a better place to live overall? I need to be somewhat close to colleges, jobs must be plentiful, and I would like to have something always going on. I can't pay a huge amount for rent and already know about Cedar Rapids housing costs, but is there a huge difference in the rent in Des Moines?

[zz4guy]

Oh no, not another DSM vs CR thread!

Why are you moving to IA in the first place? For a job?

[El Rhino]

Originally Posted by MovingToIowa

and I would like to have something always going on.

Des Moines wins in this department, although it doesn't always have something going on, just a little more than Cedar Rapids.

[MovingToIowa]

Originally Posted by zz4guy

Oh no, not another DSM vs CR thread!

Why are you moving to IA in the first place? For a job?

I am moving there because of the cost of living and the job opportunities. West Virginia has lost a lot of jobs and there isn't anything here anymore. I also want to attend college that is a priority of mine.

[LPerkins33]

skip both and move to Iowa City. Easily the best city in Iowa.

[DSMGuy]

That's pretty easy. Go to absolutedsm.com: Des Moines Development to see all that is going on in DSM.

IA City, a pretty feisty second place.

[mfrerkes]

To be completely honest, there isn't a huge difference between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. Many of the pro-Des Moines and pro-Cedar Rapids people have such a one-sided view about their particular city in Iowa. If you want to compare the differences between Cedar Rapids and Chicago, or Des Moines and Chicago...then there would be much to discuss. However, both are very similar in access to cultural amenities, cost of living, job availibilities, and nearly every other category.

Any real differences between the two can only be extrapolated by splitting hairs. Des Moines has a AAA-baseball team, whereas Cedar Rapids has an A-level franchise. Most normal people wouldn't consider that a significant reason to choose one over the other. Des Moines has a larger population (about double that of Cedar Rapids) so it would stand to reason there will be more Starbucks, Best Buys, and Gap stores. Des Moines has the state capitol, so if you like hanging out with politicians...it may be the better choice for you. Cedar Rapids has the Czech museum...so if your last name has a vowel-to-consonant ratio of 1:7, then you might like CR better.

I've lived near both areas for a considerable time and can say both are decent places to make a life. However, if you're concerned with statistics like who has the taller building, or which airport has boarded more passengers to Minneapolis-Saint Paul, then absoutedsm.com can hook you up.

[DSMGuy]

Well by that logic, then the KC metro is about twice as big as DM's (just like DM's metro is over twice as big as CR's). They have one level up baseball (okay so the team is lousy), a bigger nicer zoo, etc. etc. So is comparing DM with KC splitting hairs? I don't think so, there are significant differences between them.

To take it one step further, if it is splitting hairs between DM and CR, by that logic then it must be splitting hairs between CR and KC. I really don't think so.

You can probably be happy living most places if you set your mind to it, but saying DM and CR are indistinguishable is pretty rediculous just like if you would apply the same logic between DM and KC.

[WoodwardGirl]

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

Cedar Rapids has the Czech museum...so if your last name has a vowel-to-consonant ratio of 1:7, then you might like CR better.

ROFL! Funny AND true!

I'm usually one of the above-referenced pro-CR mavens, but I'm going to have to agree with mfrerkes... there aren't that many serious differences between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids to pick one over the other in the absence of other serious "wants" like being closer to family or needing more than two Starbucks <g>. I'd look for the right school or a job and then decide. The school thing raises some questions, actually... What is your intended field of study, and what type of school are you looking for, i.e. small vs. large, public vs. private, community college vs. university, etc.?

[MovingToIowa]

Originally Posted by WoodwardGirl

ROFL! Funny AND true!

I'm usually one of the above-referenced pro-CR mavens, but I'm going to have to agree with mfrerkes... there aren't that many serious differences between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids to pick one over the other in the absence of other serious "wants" like being closer to family or needing more than two Starbucks <g>. I'd look for the right school or a job and then decide. The school thing raises some questions, actually... What is your intended field of study, and what type of school are you looking for, i.e. small vs. large, public vs. private, community college vs. university, etc.?

I am wanting to go into International Business Trade and Commerce. I was thinking of going to Kirkwood in CR and then transferring to a university later on since I will also be working full time.