Dubuque V. Cedar Rapids (Des Moines, Davenport: sales, crime rates, house)

[hoohoohaa13]

I am planning on relocating this summer, and I am looking at these 2 places (or in between). I need to be able to get to Rock Island, IL for work reasons, but other than that, my biggest concern is schooling. I have 2 kids, my youngest will be starting K next year. What areas around these 2 cities is the best for raising a family and getting a good education?

[jasperhobbs]

Cedar Rapids has a lot more going for it than Dubuque. Cedar Rapids is a much more progressive town with better job opportunities and school system is good.

Dubuque is more focused on being a tourist town with mostly low paying service jobs, School system is good.

Depends on what your needs are, go to each town and spend a few days and learn which is a better fit.

Jasper

Originally Posted by hoohoohaa13

I am planning on relocating this summer, and I am looking at these 2 places (or in between). I need to be able to get to Rock Island, IL for work reasons, but other than that, my biggest concern is schooling. I have 2 kids, my youngest will be starting K next year. What areas around these 2 cities is the best for raising a family and getting a good education?

[metro223]

Dubuque is really pretty, but I think I would rather live in Cedar Rapids or Marion, maybe a small town outside of the area. Just curious - why are you only limiting yourself to Dubuque and Cedar Rapids? Why not just live in the Quad Cities? There are some really good school districts around there.

[hoohoohaa13]

Originally Posted by metro223

Dubuque is really pretty, but I think I would rather live in Cedar Rapids or Marion, maybe a small town outside of the area. Just curious - why are you only limiting yourself to Dubuque and Cedar Rapids? Why not just live in the Quad Cities? There are some really good school districts around there.

Don't want to drive forever to get to Rock Island, IL. I have a long commute now, and it doesn't bother me, so a 1 1/2 hr commute is fine by me. Getting over by the Quad is longer than I want (and I don't want to switch companies)

[WoodwardGirl]

Originally Posted by hoohoohaa13

Don't want to drive forever to get to Rock Island, IL. I have a long commute now, and it doesn't bother me, so a 1 1/2 hr commute is fine by me. Getting over by the Quad is longer than I want (and I don't want to switch companies)

I'm afraid we have some sort of miscommunication going here. Rock Island, Illinois is one of the Quad Cities, along with Moline, IL; Davenport, IA; and Bettendorf, IA. So, by definition, living anywhere in the Quad Cities is going to make it a much shorter commute than it would be from Dubuque or Cedar Rapids. So can you help us understand what it is you're asking, again?

[hoohoohaa13]

Originally Posted by WoodwardGirl

I'm afraid we have some sort of miscommunication going here. Rock Island, Illinois is one of the Quad Cities, along with Moline, IL; Davenport, IA; and Bettendorf, IA. So, by definition, living anywhere in the Quad Cities is going to make it a much shorter commute than it would be from Dubuque or Cedar Rapids. So can you help us understand what it is you're asking, again?

I'm a Rhode Islander (pronounced Rude I-lahn-dah). I get directions screwed up all the time. My bad. I want smaller towns/cities, and the davenport area keeps coming up pretty high in crime rates, comparitively. I was looking for something more rural (and I thought the Quad area was by Des Moines)

[metro223]

Quad Cities are Bettendorf, Davenport, Rock Island, Moline. The high crime is in small patches in Davenport and Rock Island or Moline. Bettendorf is a more affluent community but if you are looking towards a more rural area I guess I have a few I can recommend:
-Durant
-Eldridge
-Wilton
-DeWitt (never been, heard it's nice.)

I really don't think there is a need to go to Cedar Rapids or Dubuque for what you are looking for, there are plenty of small towns in Davenport/Moline area on both the Iowa and the Illinois sides. (Not to steer you away from Cedar Rapids or Dubuque)

[DMRyan]

You'll be doing yourself a favor if you look around and get acquainted with the areas around the Quad Cities, near your work. Why spend 3 hours of your day commuting when you don't have to in Iowa? That's one of the reasons that people always bring up as a positive about living here. The Quad Cities isn't that bad for crime, it's just that people in Iowa are more sensitive to the issue because there isn't as much violent crime as there is in a lot of other parts of the country. I really think you'll find what you're looking for in the Quad Cities and it's a large enough metro that you'll find the whole place isn't dumpy with high crime.

[SharpHawkeye]

Cedar Rapids is a fine city and all, but it is not worth an hour and a half commute. In fact, if I had to choose between the two cities I think I'd choose the QC over Cedar Rapids to be honest.

Dubuque is a more livable city than CR, in my opinion. But I'm not sure it's substantially better so as to justify such a long commute.

First, I think you ought to give the Quad Cites a second look. There are some rough areas, as DMRyan is right to say. But it's an area that's really improved in the last decade or so. Bettendorf in particular is a very nice, family oriented city. And, as DMRyan also said...why commute if you don't have to? Also, I guess I must spread some reputation before giving it to DMRyan again...

You mentioned Cedar Rapids...have you considered Iowa City? (I'm biased, of course, because I live here ) But it's a really nice Big 10 university town with lots of parks, fantastic schools, walkable neighborhoods, lots of culture. It's a good mix of urban and suburban/rural. It'd be an hour or less from Rock Island, depending on traffic. Some crime, as in any college town where college kids do stupid things, but I'd imagine less than Davenport (which isn't much to begin with).

Lastly, I hate to steer people away from Iowa...but I hear good things about Geneseo, IL. I've never been there myself, but from what I've heard it might suit you very well!

[hoohoohaa13]

OK, I will not be making the commute everyday, only 2-4 times a month (hopefully). I will be working in one of these areas in sales for a company that has a distribution center in the QC. I grew up in a town under 500 people, and I like the small town feel, out in the relative middle of nowhere. I've looked (quickly) at places like Springville or Martelle. I wouldn't be IN either of CR or Dubuque, but somewhere on the outskirts or a town over. (In RI, the towns don't end. You just know you're at the southern end of the state if you drive into the ocean). I really like the property prices. Trying to get a house out here for a 4 person family is close to murder. You almost need to get a 3 family and charge high rents. And also, I have relatives in Minneapolis area and by Kalamazoo, and this area (in between Dubuque or Cedar Rapids) is about as close to being center as you can get while still staying approximately the same commute time I have now when I need to go to the warehouse. Confused yet?

So...... Dubuque or CR?