if you got a job in waterloo/cedar falls, where would you live? (Des Moines: crime, home)

[ic-epi]

Originally Posted by cyerby

Looking for reasonable housing (under 150k), safe, and good schools. I wouldn't mind a commute of say 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. I guess I could live in the city, but why is waterloo crime so much higher than other cities in Iowa? What about Jesup?

Thanks!

I was born and raised in Iowa. I live in Iowa City now but I lived in Waverly for a few years awhile back. Waverly is a very nice, very small college town about fifteen minutes away from Cedar Falls.

I would recommend staying away from Waterloo. No really middle class areas - a lot of run down sections of town. Definitely if you are going to live in that area, Cedar Falls is the way to go. It is connected to Waterloo but it's night and day. Housing is more expensive though (you should still be able to find something in your price range if you stay away from the UNI campus area).

I don't know anything about Jesup; maybe someone else can comment.

[Chien]

Well size obviously has an impact.
However the bottom line is that Waterloo statisically does have a higher crime rate.
Statistically, you have lower income families, you have less business/industry and higher unemployment. This all leads to crime.
It is not an opinion.
You or anyone posting here can obtain the irrefutable proof on the crime rate from the Waterloo Police Department.
You will also learn Waterloo garners a lot of transient criminals from Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City etc.
Posters can also research via the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier.
Or they can contact KCRG or KWWL or KGAN news agencies.
I understand you may live there and like it. So be it.
But don't confuse people reading here with opinion, when the facts can be obtained and support the fact that Waterloo has a high crime rate, high unemployment, and gang activity.

[anniniowa]

>>The east side ( and yes, it is north lol ) is NOT A PLACE TO LIVE. Period. I worked at US West there for ten years. I am very familiar with it. It does have a higher crime rate, the housing is run down for the most part, the neighborhoods treacherous.<<

I open-enrolled to an East side school, Grant Elementary, and worked in downtown on the East side for almost 8 years. Are there a few bad streets? Sure, there are in every city. However, there are great neighborhoods, churches, businesses and people on the East side. Menards is looking to open a store there, near the new HyVee that just opened. Businesses are finally seeing the potential for the East side of Waterloo!

[Chien]

Originally Posted by anniniowa

>>The east side ( and yes, it is north lol ) is NOT A PLACE TO LIVE. Period. I worked at US West there for ten years. I am very familiar with it. It does have a higher crime rate, the housing is run down for the most part, the neighborhoods treacherous.<<

I open-enrolled to an East side school, Grant Elementary, and worked in downtown on the East side for almost 8 years. Are there a few bad streets? Sure, there are in every city. However, there are great neighborhoods, churches, businesses and people on the East side. Menards is looking to open a store there, near the new HyVee that just opened. Businesses are finally seeing the potential for the East side of Waterloo!

It is my hope Waterloo turns around.
Does Waterloo have nice business and nice churches and people? Of course. I worked and shopped at nice places, attended nice churches, and my parents are among the nice people living there.
None the less, if you read the post I entitled Waterloo- The Facts, and in particular read the Courier article, and furthermore speak to either Chief Jennings, Capt. Arends, Capt. John Beckman, or Officer Michaels ( all of whom I know )- you will see the facts on where the crime rate is localized in Waterloo.
I really cannot keep defending my position , based on facts, to you. You can have your opinion, I have mine. But to quote me and to think you negate the facts presented by me and readily available to anyone who puts a little effort into contacting people/agencies- it's really tiring.
I am just trying to inform people and give them credible information to make LIFE CHANGING moving decisions on.
You just seem to want to bicker.
I won't address you further.

[coffeebean]

I've lived in Waterloo for 24 years, and am online today, because we want to get out. I wouldn't move to this county - Black Hawk. Most of my family have moved out of the county, because of the constantly increasing taxes, and the lack of what you get for your money. They have all been very happy and content with the Jesup/Independence area. We have a very high percentage of poverty, I read recently that we are in the top ranks for teen pregnancies in the state of Iowa & people on welfare/government aid. Why is all of this? Like a previous poster stated, low paying jobs, not a good job economy, etc.

There is not a lot to offer families ether. We have a few small museums, and an art gallery, but it's not something you can visit or enjoy on a regular basis. It's just very stagnant here.

But if you are going to move here, I'd stick in the 50701 area code. The Columbus area is nice and not too expensive. The neighborhood by Black Hawk Elementary is likewise a nice area that is pretty low on housing costs.

[Hawkeye48]

I lived in Cedar Falls for a while and I really liked it. Stay away from Waterloo, you can find nice houses in Waterloo on the West side of the Cedar River, but they won't appreciate as fast as homes in Cedar Falls.

If I was going to move back I would probably live in one of the many, many small towns near Cedar Falls/Waterloo. There are probably 15 to 20 really small towns within a half hour driving distance of Cedar Falls/Waterloo. The values are excellent. The older people are dying off and the younger people are leaving for larger towns where there's a night life. Either way you can get a great home for the price range you indicated.

The schools are all great. Crime is low. The people are friendly and it's an area of the country where people are pretty much conservative. I would definately consider moving back if the right opportunity arose.

[TheresaGo]

Originally Posted by cyerby

Looking for reasonable housing (under 150k), safe, and good schools. I wouldn't mind a commute of say 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. I guess I could live in the city, but why is waterloo crime so much higher than other cities in Iowa? What about Jesup?

Thanks!

I lived in Waverly for four years and would highly recommend it. It's an easy commute to W'loo/CF. Very nice, progressive, family-oriented community with great schools, low crime, great people. Check it out.

[janeb]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye48

I lived in Cedar Falls for a while and I really liked it. Stay away from Waterloo, you can find nice houses in Waterloo on the West side of the Cedar River, but they won't appreciate as fast as homes in Cedar Falls.

If I was going to move back I would probably live in one of the many, many small towns near Cedar Falls/Waterloo. There are probably 15 to 20 really small towns within a half hour driving distance of Cedar Falls/Waterloo. The values are excellent. The older people are dying off and the younger people are leaving for larger towns where there's a night life. Either way you can get a great home for the price range you indicated.

The schools are all great. Crime is low. The people are friendly and it's an area of the country where people are pretty much conservative. I would definately consider moving back if the right opportunity arose.

Everyone is overlooking a dandy little town half way between CF and Waverly. Janesville is an older town, with a lot of nice older homes, but also new subdivisions on the both the Northwest and East/Southeast sides of town. 100+ new homes approved by the city of Janesville to be built in the next few years, starting in the 160's. The town itself does not have much of a business district now, but things are coming in the near future. With the four-lane highway through Janesville, both CF and Waverly businesses within minutes. 10 minutes to downtown Waverly, 15 to CF, 20 min to shopping centers on south side of Waterloo. Also great elementary school, kids have the option to attend Waverly for High School, or take classes through UNI.

Janesville, a nice quiet little town.

[Mrs.Woody]

Chien seems to have a hatred for Waterloo that goes deeper than Waterloo. I don't understand the vendetta, or the rants in his postings, but I've seen enough of his postings to realize that, in his eyes, there is nothing of value in Waterloo. This is untrue, as Waterloo is a great place to live. Of course this is my opinion, and Chien seems to tell everyone who likes Waterloo that their opinion is wrong, so....

I would like to set a few things straight.

Yes, Sunnyside is members only, but so is Pheasant Ridge in CF, and also only for the elite. Public courses are Irv Warren, South Hills and Gates, all three are fantastic courses. (Not to mention the smaller course scattered around town.) Of course, there is also Porkys Red Carpet Club, which is also members only.

Prospect area housing ranges from 100K to 400K, but then in CF it ranges from 200K to 750K in some neighborhoods. (Yes, I know, there are some of those higher prices in Waterloo too, but just because I didn't mention them doesn't mean I'm not aware of them)

There are some bad neighborhoods in Waterloo, there is also some bad neighborhoods in CF, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Dubuque, Waverly, Jesup, Denver, Hudson, (do I have to continue, or is my point made?). ALL towns, large or small, have bad areas. ALL towns, large or small, have crime. ALL towns, large or small, have cheap/expensive housing. Conversly, ALL towns, large or small, have great areas, affordable housing, and safe neighborhoods.

I like living in Waterloo. I don't want to move away. I can't imagine living anywhere else. Waterloo is a great place to live. Please, don't let a few people's negativity spoil your enjoyment of Waterloo.

[Oliver99]

Around Waterloo, there are many great little towns with lower prices and a short commute. Waverly has a college, and a nice atmosphere, and is a short drive. Grundy Center is a short commute from Waterloo, with an excellent school system, safe environment, a progressive town with reasonable housing. In my opinion, Waterloo has bigger city problems without the bigger city advantages. Cedar Falls is obviously closer, but housing is much higher than in the smaller communities around Waterloo.