Ames Area (Des Moines, Woodward, Dayton: to rent, crime, houses)

[flpelle]

How is life in the Ames area? Cost of living compared to other parts of the midwest? Is it possible to easily find 5-10 acres---we have 2 horses. How are the schools and crime? Are people friendly?

[teamplayer]

I graduated from Ames High at a time when we had the state champion teams in track, basketball, academic decathlon, etc. By all means, the Ames schools have been superlative by national standards. Even the jocks had a lot of brains; it must have a lot to do with Iowa State faculty. The housing is not so entry-level priced because of that established wealth. The voters even decided they could afford to build a multi-million dollar outdoor aquatic park. Crime is nearly nil. Can't comment from personal experience on land or property taxes, but you know how farmland values have skyrocketed with crop prices.

[AmeliaJohn]

We have an area NE of Ames thats designed for ppl with horses. i cant rember the developments name, its N of 13th st, W of Dayton Rd just west of I/35. near the NADC vet labs.maybe someone knows the name. a relator would, contact them. big places probly 5/10 acers is average. lots of open country and small towns around if you cant find what you want.

[InkFiend]

So, where do ISU students live who are married and have children? We're considering a PhD program at ISU, but we want to find out more about the area to decide if it would be a good fit for our family.

We are open to renting or buying. We'd like good schools. We're not hung up on living in the nicest area, but we'd like decent access to shopping, dining, etc.

Also, we're Westerners who know about earthquakes but are a little freaked out by tornadoes. How common are they?

Appreciate any thoughts!

[metro223]

I'm pretty sure Ames doesn't really have any bad schools. It's a nice community but it's not huge so shopping and food are always going to be relatively close.

As for tornadoes - it's highly unlikely you will have to encounter one that is headed toward your house. However - I won't lie to you, Iowa does get a hefty share of Tornadic Storms. Iowa is ranked #6 for the total number of tornadoes each year. Don't let that scare you though, like I said, it's highly unlikely you will be a victim... plus we have basements!

[InkFiend]

Originally Posted by metro223

I'm pretty sure Ames doesn't really have any bad schools. It's a nice community but it's not huge so shopping and food are always going to be relatively close.

As for tornadoes - it's highly unlikely you will have to encounter one that is headed toward your house. However - I won't lie to you, Iowa does get a hefty share of Tornadic Storms. Iowa is ranked #6 for the total number of tornadoes each year. Don't let that scare you though, like I said, it's highly unlikely you will be a victim... plus we have basements!

Thanks, Metro! That's good to know about the schools and shopping and such. What about college vs. non-college areas? We live in a university town now, and there are areas we would never recommend for a family moving here because those areas are overrun by students. Any further info that way?

On the tornadoes, I saw that #6 ranking in my research, and it spooked me a bit. I don't know why tornadoes should be so much more frightening to me than earthquakes---maybe because you can actually see the tornado coming? Maybe because of Wizard of Oz? Who knows! Anyway, thanks for the comforting thoughts.

[WoodwardGirl]

Originally Posted by InkFiend

I don't know why tornadoes should be so much more frightening to me than earthquakes---maybe because you can actually see the tornado coming? Maybe because of Wizard of Oz? Who knows! Anyway, thanks for the comforting thoughts.

See, that's the wonderful part about them -- you not only can see them coming, but the weather analysis software now can see them forming. Thus you get lots of warning ahead of time. Usually, the warning is too broad, so you head to the basement and absolutely nothing happens, but better safe than sorry, right?

I spent years in CA as a kid, and you know how the thing with tremors is to be real nonchalant? Well, I hate to say it, but Iowans are that way about tornadoes. In the little Iowa town where I spent the remainder of my childhood, the tornado siren was a signal for everyone to go out and stand in the middle of the street and look for the tornado. We never saw it, but, sadly, the tornado finally found the town a couple of years ago. Several houses were destroyed, but no one was hurt because everyone has so much warning nowadays. The biggest thing about tornadoes is that they LOVE trailer parks. DO NOT stay in a trailer park. Did you see Disney's Cars? "I'm happier than a tornado in a trailer park," Mater said, and he weren't whistlin' Dixie.

Not being in a trailer park, we keep a battery-operated radio handy in the basement and some flashlights, and I was just thinking the other day that, since I'm unlikely to get snowed in again, it's time to start using up some of the food that's been stocked up in the freezer... lest we lose power to spring lightning and it all spoiled. This definitely is the land of lightning -- DO put everything you care about on a surge protector -- we have one for the whole house and then ones for each electronic device -- and either surge protect your phone lines or unplug them from the wall during storms... or be prepared to replace a lot of stuff.

But we don't have nearly as much tornado and lightning activity as the lower plains states do. Remember that the movie Twister was pretty much about Oklahoma, and they're the ones who have the real excitement.

[metro223]

Originally Posted by WoodwardGirl

But we don't have nearly as much tornado and lightning activity as the lower plains states do. Remember that the movie Twister was pretty much about Oklahoma, and they're the ones who have the real excitement.

Since Twister is my favorite movie - I will point out that the second half of 'Twister' was filmed in Iowa. Mostly Story County, and Hardin County. (Ames and surrounding area. )

And yes, it's true we aren't as bad as Oklahoma - but I do feel that some people under-rate Iowa's tornado activity. Personally, I love tornadic storms.

Seriously though, I would take a tornado over an earthquake any day. As woodwardgirl said - it's easy to stay safe way in advance because of tornado warnings. (and sirens if you are in a populated area)

[InkFiend]

Originally Posted by WoodwardGirl

SThe biggest thing about tornadoes is that they LOVE trailer parks. DO NOT stay in a trailer park. Did you see Disney's Cars? "I'm happier than a tornado in a trailer park," Mater said, and he weren't whistlin' Dixie.

We are big Pixar fans in our house, so we will remember this with another quote from Mater: "To not to [live in a trailer park]." Thanks for the great tips. Between your message and Metro's, I'm feeling much better about that aspect of considering a move to IA.

[El Rhino]

There's an old folk tale that tornadoes never touch down in Des Moines because of the rivers. This isn't true, but people swear by it.

During the spring we'll get some abnormally strong windstorms here and there, but odds are you will not encounter a tornado or even have any close calls with them. I've seen them way off in the distance, but never too close. I wouldn't worry too much about it.