Possible move to LeMars/Sioux City -- local experts needed!

[mkmills]

Originally Posted by green0923

My family is strongly considering moving to the Sioux City, IA area for a job. I will actually work in LeMars, but am eager to hear the area experts' opinions on the best place(s) to live in the area. Should we reside in LeMars, or are we better off in Sioux City? Are there other towns around you would recommend we look at? How about schools? Where are the schools better? And which schools in Sioux City are better?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Lawton hands down!! We are only 17 miles south of LeMars (& 8 miles east of Sioux City), easily accessed by either Hwy 75 or County blacktop K-49. I have lived in Lawton my entire life & both my husband & I attended Westmar College in LeMars, so it's an easy commute, with Lawton offering a superb school system (the VERY BEST in the area for teachers, facilities & opportunities), a progressive & growing community of friendly people of all ages, new restaurant, convenience store, bank, 2 great churches, etc. & also only a quick trip to Sioux City. No question as to what choice I would make!! Our town's website is lawtoniowa.com.....good luck!!

[jack7y]

Le Mars has the headquarters for Wells Blue Bunny. Le Mars used to have Westmar, a college. The college has been converted to various community facilities.

Orange City is a conservative religous town that is also north of Le Mars. It has architectural interest from the beautiful courthouse, the Dutch architecture of downtown, the Dutch windmill, and to various other college and non-college buildings in the community. Sioux Center is very religous and politically conservative. It has a college and Pella. The college is a reformed private college and Pella is a good employer. Sioux County, the county north of Le Mars where Sioux Center and Orange City are is the most conservative county of all 99 of them in Iowa. It is also one of the most ethnically Dutch places in the U.S.A.

Sioux City downtown has a selection of options for nice living close to culture, entainment and amenities. Examples are houses just on the edge of downtown to condos in high or low rises downtown. Sioux City is moderate to slightly left politically. Midtown has more interesting features than the suburbs because it has a little more age and flavor to it.

You could find a house in the country around Le Mars or in the vicinity.

You could look at one of the smaller communities in the area not mentioned yet for a home.

My recommendation is to live in a central part of Sioux City and buy a hybrid to make the 30 minute commute less costly and more environmentally friendly.

[Jmac]

We moved to Sioux City about 17 years ago from Memphis, TN. Actually, i grew up in Sioux City, so it was a bit of a homecoming for me. My wife is from suburban Chicago. We left the Memphis area really to raise our (at the time one) child in a less racially weird environment. There always seemed to be a racist undercurrent in Memphis that even in church seemed to be pervasive. We did have an exceptional church experience there however, if you are interested in that. Anyway, we have lived on the northside all these years although we are a part of the West High School feeder system. Our elementry school experience has been fantastic-4 girls through it (or on their way). We are committed West High parents with kids in band and AP classes.
My wife is on the faculty at West High (some bias).

Sioux City has an exceptional symphony and a world class venue in the Orpheum Theater. There are many, many things going on on any given weekend. The Missouri River offers recreational opportunities as do the Iowa Great Lakes (about 80 miles away). The Omaha airport has connections to almost anywhere you might want to go (90 miles).

Commuting is a non-issue even if you are going to LeMars from Sioux City.
I can remember spending 30-45 minutes just trying to get from Mid-town to East Memphis. Or when I lived in the Chicago area it was nothing to spend 45 minutes just going to church or 20 minutes to get to the grocery store.

I hope you do relocate to Northwest IA. I am sure you and your family will enjoy it.

[brad88]

I would seriously avoid Sioux City, check out many of the other threads on this website that support a decision to avoid it.
Le Mars is an excellent town, I would definitely choose that over Hinton, Sioux City, Sioux Center, etc.
Hinton is junky, as is Sioux City.
Sioux Center is a very Dutch community, and pales in comparison to Le Mars. Le Mars is a short drive from Sioux City (and although a bad place to live) you will enjoy being closer to a larger city, while being able to maintain a smaller town atmosphere like Le Mars. I promise, you will not be disappointed with a move to Le Mars, Sioux City though, no guarantee on that one.

[polmer]

Where to live must be based on what you're used to and what your needs are. Schools - some of the best in the area are in Orange City - 15 minutes north. Shopping - Sioux City is OK (but I'm from Chicago). All other Iowa towns in the area are poor. We spend weekends in Omaha, which is a truly hidden gem of a city.

Since we have been going through small city shock for the last 2 years, I now view LeMars as a very viable place to live. It's trying to be progressive, and I feel has a potentially bright future with the new Wells headquarters building and other new business investments in the area.

Hinton has nice homes - but perhaps expensive depending on what you are used to (250-400K on the golf course). LeMars is much cheaper. Hinton has become a bedroom community for Sioux City, as it's only a 20 minute commute. Hinton has nothing else to offer, however, except proximity.

Dakota Dunes, SD is a great area just west of Sioux City - new housing, in a developing area.

Good luck

[twoshoes]

Live in Le Mars-definitely. I've lived in Sioux City,(40 years), and currently live in the Hinton area,(12 years). Sioux City is an expensive town to live in, with not too much social mobility. Very Clicky. Hinton's the same, and is primarily a bedroom community. Orange City is a repressive/conservative/boring town (with does have nice people tho) that truly believes in the phrase "if yer not Dutch, yer not much". Really. Note that the people that promote Sioux City to you live in Sergeant Bluff and the Dunes. Odd...doncha think? Le Mars is fine. It has some beautiful homes at reasonable prices. It has both public and parochial systems. You've close to either Sioux City or Sioux Falls if you require a break from the small-town atmosphere. Le Mars actually supports both a WalMart AND a viable (and quaint) Downtown area...plus multiple car dealerships, grocery stores and restaurants. GOOD restaurants. But...if you're considering a job in the dairy industry...I'd reconsider the whole thing.

[las9840]

My husband and our three children will be moving to the Sioux City area in the next few months and will be looking for rental housing until we find a neighborhood we want to buy in. Could someone who knows this area give me some Idea on where the best neighborhoods to rent would be. Thanks for your help. By the way we will be leaving a small town with very little shopping, no culture, and the smell of ethenol plants and feed yards so the smelly sioux city thing doesn't excite me but it doesn't frighten me either. We will just look for a nice neighborhood away from the odors.

[neanerbean]

No **** twoshoes. Live half my life in Sheldon and was CATHOLIC. It was like I had the plague

[IG712]

I am not sure of the commute but I thought that they were building a road out of Lemars over toward South Dakota. If this is the case I would recommend Elk Point,SD. Check out my other reply on "maybe relocating to Sioux City" for more info on Elk Point.