Should I move to Iowa? (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids: apartments, to rent, condos)

[Lulu101]

Help, I may have the opportunity to move to Iowa in a few weeks. Here is the information I need:

1) How much does it cost to rent a 3 bedroom apartment in a nice area?
2) How bad is the crime?
3) Where is the best place to live if I won't have a car?

[Chicago60614]

Iowa is a state of 55K square miles.....not a city.

Where would you move?????

[Northern Traveler]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

Iowa is a state of 55K square miles.....not a city.

Where would you move?????

Haha, I agree - what area are you thinking about moving to?

Overall rent is a lot cheaper in Iowa than other states - I think West Des Moines has the highest rent overall in the state, and even there it isn't too expensive.

Crime is mostly non-existent in this state, spare heed for select older "urban" areas.

Overall everyone gets along in this big freezer.

[Northern Traveler]

Oh and I would recommend having a car in Iowa - especially if you are not going to be in a metro area with a bus system. And even in those areas - I would never rely on Iowa bus systems. Strongly recommend having a car in Iowa. No area is going to keep you entertained long enough that you won't want to get out of the neighborhood for awhile.

[CrazyHorsePete]

1) How much does it cost to rent a 3 bedroom apartment in a nice area?
2) How bad is the crime?
3) Where is the best place to live if I won't have a car?

1) Rent is pretty cheap here.
2) Overall, Iowa is very safe. Each city has its older/sketchier neighborhood and there is some meth in the country, but look at crime rates in the cities. They are pretty low. Compare the crime statistics of Des Moines to Little Rock.
3) You need a car.

[zz4guy]

3 bed appt. in a bigger city (100k+) would run about $800/month.
Crime is very low. THere's nowhere in this state I wouldn't feel comfortable going because of crime.
Without a car? You will need a car. Unless you plan to live off of a bus route. Iowa City would be my first choice. Most students dont use cars on a daily basis that go to school.

[El Rhino]

Originally Posted by zz4guy

Without a car? You will need a car. Unless you plan to live off of a bus route. Iowa City would be my first choice. Most students dont use cars on a daily basis that go to school.

Yeah, Iowa City is about the only place in Iowa that resembles being pedestrian friendly. There might be some places that would be a little easier than others (Drake neighborhood in Des Moines for example), but I don't think it would be a good idea to do this without a car or at least plans to obtain a car soon.

[gfspeople]

No

[capitalcityguy]

Open your minds people.

Yes, you can live without a car, but your choices will be limited. The college towns (Ames and Iowa City) have extensive bus routes. DSM has a decent bus system, but you'll need to locate in the right area of town to get good service. If you can afford to live downtown (and that is where you work?), that would be ideal. You'd still need to take a taxi (Or the bus) for major grocery shopping (or have it delivered).

[iowegian]

1. 3 bedroom apartments/condos here in Iowa City go from about $800 up. Des Moines prices are comparable to Iowa City, Cedar Rapids and the Quad Cities are a little cheaper. If you are looking into a "city" and not a small town, anyway. If you can be more specific, that would help a lot.

2. Crime, while not non-existent, is rare and cities in Iowa are generally safer than cities elsewhere. If you're coming from an urban area, Iowa is probably safer than where you live. I live around Iowa City and I don't believe I've ever felt unsafe walking around downtown, even late at night.

3. As others have said, living car-free in Iowa is difficult, at best. Iowa City has extensive bus service and it is maybe do-able. (Students do it, anyway.) If you pick a neighborhood wisely in IC, you could get groceries, do some limited shopping, and go to restaurants within walking distance. Any of the larger cities (at least Des Moines, Ames, maybe Davenport or Cedar Falls?) should have at least decent bus service and depending on your neighborhood, you might be able to do it. But really, life in Iowa is much easier with a car. I'd definitely sell my car in a second if we had better transit, but it's just not the case right now.