Pella, IA info please (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids: fit in, crime, house)

[ksl]

I am considering relocating for an opportunity in Pella. Yes I am living in California, but I was not born here and am looking forward to being *from* here.
I was curious if Pella is a good place to start a family, and how it compares to Des Moines or Cedar Rapids for quality of life?

Thanks for any help in this decision.

[Tek_Freek]

I do know a bit about it and the surrounding area. It is a nice town, with a number of events every year, the most notable the Pella Tulip Festival every spring. They usually have car shows every year also.

Do you like dutch letters, or other excellent pastries? The best!

Red Rock Lake is close for recreation, That's where the Rain Forest is going to be built.

http://www.dmregister.com/apps/pbcs....WS03/609290398

Not too far to Des Moines/West Des Moines.

[ksl]

Thank you. It seems to be the small town I have been looking to find, however, there is little information easily found about any small town. I've had my fill of big cities, but finding tech work in a small town has been a challange. Not much call for bar-coding livestock...

[Southside Shrek]

they sure make good windows in Pella. I prefer them over Andersen.

[Tek_Freek]

http://www.pellacity.com/

http://www.central.edu/

http://www.pella.k12.ia.us/

http://www.boslanden.erencom/ (broken link)

http://www.barn-builders.com/home.htm

http://www.ashanti-online.com/

http://www.lakeprairie.com/ (broken link)

http://www.jaarsmabakery.com/

[Lbar]

Pella, IMO, is one of the most beautiful parts of Iowa, especially during the spring. It's a very nice town and very well kept. I'd like living there myself. I'm also assuming the schools are good too. Dutch towns usually have good schools. Keep in mind Iowa has one of the highest ACT averages in the U.S. and the highest average SAT scores in the U.S. (but only 5% of students take them). And as mentioned before, it's only about 30-45 minutes from Des Moines. Other traveling time estimates to cities: About 6 hours to Chicago, 4.5 hours to Kansas City and 3.5 hours to Omaha. And yes, their bakeries are the best around. However, coming from California, get ready for some cold winters and humid summers.

[primal]

Hi. Pella is well-groomed for sure, but be ready to keep up with the Joneses if u move there! Since it's a tourist town (sorta), u have to manicure your lawn and live by a code.
Grinnell is 35 miles to the north east the same size and has more factories and stores etc for jobs. The college also employees lotsa people. Very good schools here.

[Kickin]

Hi, I was born and raised in Pella. I am 24 and have lived most of those years in Pella. I love the town, I could never get tired of it. It is small, quaint, a perfect town to raise a family in...great schools and rec programs. The only thing that may be limited are things to do. There is a movie theater and bowling alley. There is quite a bit to do in Des Moines which is not far. The Tulip Festival is my favorite part of Pella, but I am a bit biased being raised with it.

I don't necessarily agree that this is a "keep up with the Joneses" town. There are definitely well off people, but there are also a lot of people who aren't. I think it's a town where you can fit into no matter where you fall on the financial spectrum.

I think many people would find Pella a better place to start a family than Des Moines or Cedar Rapids. While those are both fine places, Pella is far more limited on the crime it sees...I'm sure schools are better - more attention to the students. Great teachers. Since Des Moines is not far, you can go there for the nightlife whenever you want, but can also stay away from it in Pella.

[Southside Shrek]

Originally Posted by Kickin

Hi, I was born and raised in Pella. I am 24 and have lived most of those years in Pella. I love the town, I could never get tired of it. It is small, quaint, a perfect town to raise a family in...great schools and rec programs. The only thing that may be limited are things to do. There is a movie theater and bowling alley.

I visited Pella once and enjoyed my brief stay there. The girl we went to see stayed in a sorority house and turned my buddy and me away after we showed up a little inebriated. We were run out of Pella.

[chrisfromiowa]

are there many latinos in the high school? my friend might be moving theres(hes mexicano) and was wondering if there was other latinos there...i told him its mainly, white, dutch people...but maybe im wrong...let me know either way