Thinking of moving to Iowa (Des Moines, West Des Moines: fit in, home, employment)

[thethomasfamily1]

Hello my husband and I and our three children are thinking of moving to Iowa from Chicago, Illinois. We are an African American Family and wanted some feedback on good areas to move to. How is employment in Iowa and is it a good place to raise your kids? We just want a change for our kids!HELP and please be honest. Also I have been on my job here almost ten years but Chicago is a very expensive place to live for a middle class family. The poor gets help from the state and the rich well they are OK, but we are pretty much working to pay the bills!

[Family oriented]

http://www.schoolsnoop.com/Schools.a...allas&State=IA Check that out for school info. What city do you plan on moving to. I am planning to move to Iowa with my children as well. I have done a lot of research on Des Moines and West Des Moines. I am excited about the potential move but nervous. I'm still praying on which way to go. I wish you the best and I hope some of your questions are answered. YorkieMom and DSMguy are pretty reliable people when it comes to info, they seem to love Iowa.

[thethomasfamily1]

Thanks for your response, we really have no idea what city to move to, we have a friend in Des Moines. What city are you all planning to move to?

[Family oriented]

West Des Moines, what does your friend say about the schools and the state. Is your friend an African American too?

[Family oriented]

Im originally from Illinois too, not chicago but near Scott AFB

[thethomasfamily1]

Yes our friend is African American to. He says the school system is excellant and he loves it there. We are so scared about moving to a city with no family and friends, how does a family adjust to that? We both want to further our education and work.

[Yorkie_Mom]

I think you both would fit in fine any where in Des Moines, just make sure you find a very safe neighborhood. The bigger cities have more areas of the good with the bad, and I want to make sure that the good folks that you are, find a nice safe place to grow and make it a home that you will love.
Des Moines has all cultures, don't let anyone tell you different, and just so you know, sometimes this Iowa board is slow, so if you don't hear back right away, keep checking back. I have to be on here and there through out the day, so you can catch me on more then others.
Don't worry about not fitting in Des Moines is a big place that is stretched out, with it's good neighborhoods along with the bad. I don't know much about the town its self, but I do know you have no worries. Feel free to talk to me anytime you wish. Take care and good luck. Yorkie

[Family oriented]

I'm may be moving there because of school I was accepted into Drake University. Have yet to decide. I'm a single parent and my sister will be there and she will be attending Drake too,Law school. I'm going to get my degree in Education. I wish I had gone when I was in the military years ago. I will be 31 in March but I am so excited about the opportunity. Nervous though. I just want my children to be accepted for who they are and not there skin tone I looked at one school and it had a break down of races, female and male and they had no black girls and 4 black boys. That made me feel a little strange but I'm believing that the Lord will bless them with good friends no matter the race. However that was a breakdown dated 2004-2005. Maybe some things have changed. Nevertheless I am hopeful.

[Family oriented]

YORKIE, where do you live?

[Yorkie_Mom]

Originally Posted by Famliy oriented

YORKIE, where do you live?

I live in Minnesota just across the Iowa border, Des Moines is 250 miles from where I live.