Moving from Las Vegas, NV to Iowa (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids: rent, insurance)

[rissaface]

I'm on a search of where to relocate to. My fiance is from Harlan, IA and I'm from Las Vegas, NV. However, I can't stand this city any longer and we are talking of moving to Iowa. I have 2 children and love the recreational parts of life. We plan to take a trip in September so I can see for myself what it's all about. We are considering Des Moines or Cedar Rapids. He's told me all kinds of great things about Iowa but I want to hear it from some other people. Fill me in on what you think is so wonderful about Iowa. I would really appreciate your input.

[ehenningsen]

As a former resident of Las Vegas (near the Fort Apache and Blue Diamond Rd intersection, which was a very bad intersection for accidents, for proof ) Let me just say, that I moved back to Omaha from Vegas, because quality of life is plain and simply much better for people that don't rely on a few determinants for pleasure or leisure.

I think you will find Des Moines as a fantastic choice! I don't know enough about Cedar Rapids, however, Des Moines is a very progressive city that provides very good and very wide array of entertainment options and a very good economic prosperity opportunities (not only in experience, but national rankings have Des Moines up at the very near top, I can say this with confidence because the city is a sister city to Omaha).

Oh, and the retail and dining is very good too!

[Go Ne]

Originally Posted by rissaface

I'm on a search of where to relocate to. My fiance is from Harlan, IA and I'm from Las Vegas, NV. However, I can't stand this city any longer and we are talking of moving to Iowa. I have 2 children and love the recreational parts of life. We plan to take a trip in September so I can see for myself what it's all about. We are considering Des Moines or Cedar Rapids. He's told me all kinds of great things about Iowa but I want to hear it from some other people. Fill me in on what you think is so wonderful about Iowa. I would really appreciate your input.

Des Moines has a very good economy not so sure about Cedar Rapids

Des Moines has really nice suburbs, great schools, and a powerful economy with several insurance companies having major operations there, its metro is around 600,000 and I really love visiting Des Moines

[rissaface]

[quote=ehenningsen;4112673]As a former resident of Las Vegas (near the Fort Apache and Blue Diamond Rd intersection, which was a very bad intersection for accidents, for proof )

LOL, you have proven knowledge of Vegas. I appreciate the input. My worry of moving out there wouldn't so much be the tornado's but definitly the Winter. I lived in Reno (got about a foot of snow, which doesn't even measure to the snowfall in Iowa) and I loved it. How hard of an adjustment would that be? Also, the humidity, is it anything compared to 120 degree summers in Vegas?

[Go Ne]

Originally Posted by rissaface

LOL, you have proven knowledge of Vegas. I appreciate the input. My worry of moving out there wouldn't so much be the tornado's but definitly the Winter. I lived in Reno (got about a foot of snow, which doesn't even measure to the snowfall in Iowa) and I loved it. How hard of an adjustment would that be? Also, the humidity, is it anything compared to 120 degree summers in Vegas?

Iowa rarely gets anything over 1 foot of snow, usually its just a few inches.

As for humidity, yes it is seems worse than desert heat because desert heat is dry heat, which seems cooler when its 100 degrees in the desert, compared to 80 degrees with 50% humidity

[ehenningsen]

You have to have a whole lot of humidity to make up for the 30 degree difference, and believe me we rarely see anything near the intense heat as you do in the desert southwest.

Now, if you were talking western and north central texas, hell yes!

Winters are always going to be an adjustment, but the good news here is that you will be very surprised at what you can tolerate since the progression towards the cold is gradual until Dec through Feb as that is the time of the year you rent movies, order a pizza sit close to a tv and have a night.

Or you bundle up, and you go to a big hill and go sledding, and then when you are done, you get to go to one of many coffee shops, or go to a concert or whatever you wish.

Some people express absolute hatred towards our weather, some (like myself) just love our seasons.. Especially in the fall, there is a feeling I get when I see the trees turn and that autumn smell.

You will see there are more quality things to do in a city like Des Moines, believe it or not. They have traveling shows, bands, movies, plays, opera, orchestra, sports.. Des Moines has a casino if it is a must, the economy in the four state area is second to none in the entire country.

It would be an adjustment, and to many from the south or west or southwest it is a very nice adjustment.

I am more sold now that I have ever been about the northern plains states..

[DSMGuy]

You asked about whether to move to Des Moines or Cedar Rapids. I have gone into detail in the past about what sets DM apart. I think ehenningsen has done a great job hitting the high points.

Also, CR is definitely on the ropes right now and out of respect for their situation, I will not go into detail about the differences between the areas. What CR needs right now is our support.

But if you are looking at DM, read some of the posts in this Iowa thread with articles from publications such as: NY Times, Forbes Magazine, Kiplinger's, Site Selection magazine, Fast Company, and other pubs that consistently rate DM as one of the top places to live, work, and play in the country. Good luck with your decision.

[SoCiEtY's ReBel]

You said your fiance is from Harlan, if he still has family there and wants to be close to them, then the Omaha/Council bluffs area would be a good option as it is the closest metro area to Harlan!

I lived pretty much all of my adult life in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area and can tell you that the area has alot to offer. Unlike most of the country Omaha/Council Bluffs area is currently on an economic boom with numerous gov't projects in the works and numerous fortune 500 companies headquartered or having a large presence there! Last October I picked up and moved to Reno, nv to be closer to my family in Northern California (where I am originally from) and to put it in perspective, well we'll be moving back to the Omaha area soon.

With all the recent flooding i would not recommend the Ceder Rapids area or the DSM metro. Western Iowa won't flood like that cause the Missouri gets nowhere near flood level!

And even though Omaha isn't perfect it is probably one of the best, if not the best local economy in the nation at this time! With all the growth and expansion going on it is on track to become a mini-Chicago only with cheaper cost of living

hope this helps!

-rebel

[DMRyan]

The recent flooding hardly hit Des Moines. A few flooded basements downtown near the river and a small area of town where a levy broke is all that happened. My guess is that 98% of the city wouldn't have known there was a flood going on if they wouldn't have turned on the news or drove by a riverfront.

Cedar Rapids was inundated and had their worst disaster in their existence. Structurally, Des Moines was largely untouched, minus the one area where a levy failed.

[Go Ne]

Originally Posted by SoCiEtY's ReBel

With all the recent flooding i would not recommend the Ceder Rapids area or the DSM metro. Western Iowa won't flood like that cause the Missouri gets nowhere near flood level!

*sarcasm* And with hurricane Katrina in New Orleans I wouldn't recommend that place either *sarcasm off*

Cedar Rapids and Des Moines need our support right now, and they are really nice places when its not flooded, and yes the Missouri River does flood on occasion, though well past Omaha (we have a dam)