Advice For A Family Thinking of Relocating To Iowa (Des Moines: house, elementary school)

[mikeandaija2009]

We are a family of 4 looking to escape the Northeast for a more friendly (politically and personality) state. My wife and I are older parents with 2 boys. Both are elementary school age and our youngest is autistic. Good schools are our #1 priority, as are educational services for our special needs child. We are lifelong Connecticut residents who left to go to Florida for 4 years. Florida was not for us at all, and I will leave it at that. I can go on forever about it, but some things are better left in the past. We returned to CT 2 years ago, primarily to care for a elderly and sick parent. We can't wait to escape! Ever since the election of President Trump, CT has become more of a liberal paradise than ever and getting worse everyday. New taxes, school redistricting, tolls, sanctuary cities....all this as the state is $3.5 billion in the hole. And CT isn't alone, all of New England is falling off the liberal cliff!

We consider ourselves to be Conservative Christians. We believe in small government and especially the 2nd amendment. We don't force our ideals on others, and don't appreciate being forced others ideals as people do here. Some of my wifes coworkers actually said out loud that "anyone who voted for Trump might as well leave now, because if we find out who you are....you will be forced out". My wife works for the Federal Government! We would also like to have a small farm wherever we go. We have horses now, and a few acres. Hoping to have more acreage and more animals....teaches our boys great values of hard work and caring, and is great stimulation for our special needs son. We looked into the Southern States, but after our Florida experience and not so great schools and special education...we thought more of the Mid-West. We had thought about Wyoming, but someone commented that no matter what our beliefs were, we would always be looked at as New England Liberals in Wyoming. Hoping Iowa may be different? Iowa is often featured on our favorite channel on TV, RFD-TV. It looks beautiful to us, very peaceful. Would like to hear from some of you and your experiences, and if it would be a good fit for our family, as well as the best parts of Iowa. Thank you, Mike

[WyoNewk]

As someone raised in Iowa and now in Wyoming, I doubt the comment about being considered New England liberals despite your beliefs. Possible I suppose, but I've never seen it here in NE Wyoming. In fact, I found Wyoming residents around here to be very, very welcoming.

As to Iowa, if you're looking for a conservative area, western Iowa would probably be your best bet, but I've been all over the north half of the state and didn't find any of it overly liberal. (I'm a "moderate" conservative.) I attended college in Ames (Iowa State) and lived in a nice little community north of Fort Dodge briefly before moving to Wyoming nearly 50 years ago. My boss, the editor-publisher of the weekly newspaper at that time, had a "hobby farm" of 40 acres with a house on it. Like most of Iowa, it's very rich soil around there, so 40 acres kept him busy at certain times of the year. (I *think* he did his own planting, cultivating and harvesting, using smaller and cheaper tractors, etc.)

In most parts of Wyoming that 40 acres wouldn't raise much of anything -- probably not enough grass to feed 2 horses! If "farming" was important to me, Iowa would be a great place to find a home with a small acreage.

I was raised in Harlan, Iowa, about 50 miles east-northeast of Omaha. It's nice country there, rolling hills, rich farm land. I had a girl friend who lived in the NE corner of Iowa. The soil there isn't quite as good, but it's beautiful country near the Mississippi -- lots of hills and streams. I think it's the prettiest part of Iowa.

I left Iowa after I'd lived in Alaska for awhile and had really gotten hooked on fishing. I'd fished my whole life, from the time I was old enough to lift a fishing pole, but in Alaska I got used to crystal clear water, trout and salmon. Iowa just didn't do it for me anymore. Also, I have a hard time with Iowa's summer heat and humidity, mainly in July and August. Other than that, it's a nice state.

[Meemur]

Originally Posted by mikeandaija2009

My wife works for the Federal Government

You'll probably have to live in or around Des Moines. Look for farm land west of Des Moines in Adel.

Be advised that at the moment Iowa has very little to offer in the way of special needs support, and I don't see that changing much in the next few years.

If you need a lot of support, I recommend one of the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio (cheaper farm land to the east: Grandville, New Albany, Newark). There's plenty of Fed jobs there, better special needs support, good farmland (outside of Columbus).

I love Des Moines! But I also lived in Cols for 17 years. I think that you'll find that area a better fit. If it weren't for the special needs, then Adel (IA) would check a lot of your boxes.

[jmgg]

Originally Posted by Meemur

You'll probably have to live in or around Des Moines. Look for farm land west of Des Moines in Adel.

Be advised that at the moment Iowa has very little to offer in the way of special needs support, and I don't see that changing much in the next few years.

If you need a lot of support, I recommend one of the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio (cheaper farm land to the east: Grandville, New Albany, Newark). There's plenty of Fed jobs there, better special needs support, good farmland (outside of Columbus).

I love Des Moines! But I also lived in Cols for 17 years. I think that you'll find that area a better fit. If it weren't for the special needs, then Adel (IA) would check a lot of your boxes.

I would also recommend west-central Iowa with Omaha right across the border. A large Air Force base and Veterans hospital is there plus all of the help available for a special needs child. Good farmland and the more southwest you go, it's quite affordable. As you go farther to the northwest farmland prices rise.
The far northwest corner of Iowa can frankly get TOO conservative. Believe me it's possible. I consider myself an independent, but by today's standards I'm a conservative. Some areas there are too much for me.


Frankly, I think Iowa, with the exception of Iowa City (liberal enclave that rivals San Francisco) would fit your requirements well.

[fezzador]

Originally Posted by jmgg

I would also recommend west-central Iowa with Omaha right across the border. A large Air Force base and Veterans hospital is there plus all of the help available for a special needs child. Good farmland and the more southwest you go, it's quite affordable. As you go farther to the northwest farmland prices rise.
The far northwest corner of Iowa can frankly get TOO conservative. Believe me it's possible. I consider myself an independent, but by today's standards I'm a conservative. Some areas there are too much for me.


Frankly, I think Iowa, with the exception of Iowa City (liberal enclave that rivals San Francisco) would fit your requirements well.

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I'm not liberal enough to be a "real" liberal, and I'm not conservative enough to be a "real" conservative.



Iowa is about as middle-of-the-road as you can get politically. As mentioned, there are some pretty extreme differences (one one end, there's far-western Iowa, and on the other there's Iowa City), but on the whole it doesn't stray very far from the center in either direction. I don't know how far to the right your family leans, but regardless you should feel fairly comfortable living in Iowa since there's plenty of tolerance for both sides (though if you choose Iowa City, you'd probably feel more comfortable as a conservative since there's plenty of the old-money types that still live there, than if you were a liberal living near Sioux City).


You might also want to check out Nebraska, since Omaha was already brought up. Politically, it's more consistently conservative than Iowa is, and outside of portions of Omaha and Lincoln, you're not likely to find many consistent Democratic voters in the state. Other than that, the quality of life basically mirrors that of Iowa.

[IowanFarmer]

Iowa isn't a red state, but it's more conservative than New England. Western Iowa is straight Bible Belt. You won't get grief about your politics in the rest of the state, but your neighbors will be less likely to share your views.

Outside of western Iowa and Iowa City, it's a pretty "live and let live" political climate.

[EastCB]

W
Give a break, western Iowa is not the Bible Belt!!!

[jmgg]

Originally Posted by EastCB

W
Give a break, western Iowa is not the Bible Belt!!!

You're right. NORTHwest Iowa is the bible belt.

It's the Dutch bunch where if you're not one of the "Reformed" you are pretty much an outsider and believe me THEY'LL MAKE YOU KNOW IT. My father was 100% Dutch. He always said that many of his favorite people were Dutch. He just hated HOLANDERS. That's his word for what he called this cult.

Don't argue with me about this. It's my family heritage. I have 2 sets of great-grandparents buried in this "holy land". In this part of the country, if your Catholic, you're going to hell. Imagine if you're some other religion more extreme than that how they'll treat you.

[lthenderson]

I have lived in Iowa my whole life as have my parents, grandparents, on through my third great grandparents. I consider myself genetically Iowan.

I lean towards the conservative side and would have no problem living anywhere in Iowa, even in liberal enclaves like Iowa City or Des Moines. I have many friends who I would consider liberal and we get along just fine and we even talk about politics some. There are those that you can't talk politics too but I'm sure you can find those in any state or any place you go too. The town I live in is definitely democratic leaning but I get along just fine. Most of what affects me politically are decisions made by our state and national governments.

If you look at a geo-political map of Iowa, just about any large city is likely to have a democrat majority ruling things. If you are looking for a place that is largely run by republicans, stick to the rural parts or small towns of Iowa.

[Twisted corn]

Iowa is #1 in the nation for dilapidated housing, which is why it’s 5th highest in property taxes rates. The roads are also among the top five worst in the nation. Water quality is abysmal of which the farm lobby blames on home owners and... their yards...right. Western Iowa has devolved into the land time forgot. I’m a fifth generation Iowan from west central Iowa, my first ancestors landed here in 1851 and would be appalled at the closed/narrow-minded views that have infested most areas west of I-35. Oh the weather..May, June, September, October pretty nice. Some excellent city schools, health care better than most, but not as good as Minnesota. All in all, I guess there are worse places to raise a family, but I would look at the Fort Collins Co metro area which is politically 50/50 and has most everything you’re looking for...less culture shock moving from CT.