Move to Marshalltown? (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo: low income, transplants, crime rates)

[movinonup]

I am looking to move to Marshalltown Iowa. Basically a dart on the map. Any feedback there? I don't want to live in a city as big as Cedar Rapids. I also think that the illegal influx problem is an appropriate topic for those of us thinking of a move.

[Stevie]

Well, I guess I can't give you a lot of information about the town, but I will say that I love driving there. I don't know what it is about the town but it just appeals to me somehow.

I'm in Ames, so Marshalltown is about 35-40 miles east on Highway 30. Unfortunately they haven't made it four-lane all the way yet but they plan to some day. In fact they plan to make it four-lane from Ames all the way to Clinton. Funding must be a little slow these days but they'll get there.

Anyway, Marshalltown is a railroad town and has a huge rail yard just south of downtown. It used to have a roundhouse where trains went to turn around. I think the roundhouse is still there but I’ve heard that now it’s a swimming pool or something.

There are plenty of things to do for a town its size. They have a shopping mall and plenty of restaurants. Stone's is the trademark restaurant of Marshalltown. Also, you'll have easy access to Des Moines on Highway 330. It extends SW to Des Moines and is four-lane all the way. You can live in a smaller city and still have access to a bigger city.

I've heard people say that there are a lot of crime and drugs in Marshalltown. Since I don't know the town well enough I'll have to make a wild guess. It looks like most of the crime would probably be on the north side of the rail yard. I've noticed it's more run down on that side and seems to be where most of the illegal (or legal) transplants live. But like I said it's just a wild guess. You're probably better off getting information from someone who lives there though.

Hope this helps a little.

[movinonup]

Originally Posted by Stevie

Well, I guess I can't give you a lot of information about the town, but I will say that I love driving there. I don't know what it is about the town but it just appeals to me somehow.

I'm in Ames, so Marshalltown is about 35-40 miles east on Highway 30. Unfortunately they haven't made it four-lane all the way yet but they plan to some day. In fact they plan to make it four-lane from Ames all the way to Clinton. Funding must be a little slow these days but they'll get there.

Anyway, Marshalltown is a railroad town and has a huge rail yard just south of downtown. It used to have a roundhouse where trains went to turn around. I think the roundhouse is still there but I’ve heard that now it’s a swimming pool or something.

There are plenty of things to do for a town its size. They have a shopping mall and plenty of restaurants. Stone's is the trademark restaurant of Marshalltown. Also, you'll have easy access to Des Moines on Highway 330. It extends SW to Des Moines and is four-lane all the way. You can live in a smaller city and still have access to a bigger city.

I've heard people say that there are a lot of crime and drugs in Marshalltown. Since I don't know the town well enough I'll have to make a wild guess. It looks like most of the crime would probably be on the north side of the rail yard. I've noticed it's more run down on that side and seems to be where most of the illegal (or legal) transplants live. But like I said it's just a wild guess. You're probably better off getting information from someone who lives there though.

Hope this helps a little.

I appreciate the input. Seems like no one has much to say about Marshalltown. What's with that? I figured that the Midwest would have lower crime etc. I am getting nervous about making a decision.

[Stevie]

http://www.idcide.com/citydata/ia/marshalltown.htm

Just came across this crime stats page this morning.

Hope it helps!

[philpetrieaudio]

I grew up there and ran into this thread via a random search on my hometown. Cirme: none to really speak of definitely no more than your typical small town. Leave your car unlocked? It will be there when you get back. You could leave it running with the keys in the ignition (someone would eventually try to find you and let you know you forgot to shut off your car).

You are right about the north side of the railyard. It is more dilapidated, and where most of the low income folks live. As for "illegals," well, yes. We do have a lot I imagine, Hispanic mostly, working at Swifts meat packing and Lennox air conditioner factory. This does not mean in increase in crime, as the Hispanic community is integrating itself very well. Plenty of Spanish speaking shops specializing in Mexican style goods, plenty of Mexican restaurants. But the vast majority of the community is White Anglo-American or whathaveyou. edit: As for the INS raids in the news, the INS likes to put on a show. They showed up with buses to carry 400, but only left with about 90. I can tell you more about this if you would like.

I love being able to tell people about my hometown, ask me any questions you want and I will answer as best I can, just know I already think it is a great place to live.

[chrisfromiowa]

CHINGA LA MIGRA...thats all i have to say about the INS in Marshalltown...illegals dont raise the crime rate, bad people in general raise crime rates...illegal immigrants just want a better life than what they had...

[patmc]

Immigration and Naturalization Service seems spend a great deal of time there.

I really enjoy Marshalltown as a town in an of itself but I think it is somewhat distant from other towns that might have more to do.

A more focused site might be Mtowntalk.com

[CertifiaBully]

Originally Posted by philpetrieaudio

I grew up there and ran into this thread via a random search on my hometown. Cirme: none to really speak of definitely no more than your typical small town. Leave your car unlocked? It will be there when you get back. You could leave it running with the keys in the ignition (someone would eventually try to find you and let you know you forgot to shut off your car).

I love being able to tell people about my hometown, ask me any questions you want and I will answer as best I can, just know I already think it is a great place to live.

Been through Marshalltown on SEVERAL occassions and wound up there just once because of a wrong turn I can't say that I have spent a lot of time there recently, but if I remember correctly, way back in the 80s, the roofing company my father worked for put the roof on (I think) one of the schools and possibly another building and one weekend we got to go to Marshalltown because he had to stay overnight. I just remember how clean and how big it looked(I was around 7 or 8)! From what I saw a few years ago when I was there, it didn't seem as big but still very clean. I like the drive through there. Even tho I was lost that one time, the kids and I still stopped to eat!

Very pretty town y'all have!

[IA_James]

Marshalltown is a once nice town, that is sliding down into dump. Fisher Controls and Lennox both used to be great places to work, but reduced wages for new hires have taken the shine off those jobs. Lennox is working on reducing it's presence here, and sending work to Mexico rather than keeping it here. That leaves Swift & Co. as the only other major employer. It's a meat packing plant, and pays like it too. The schools are deteriorating due to the influx of non-English speaking people to work at Swift, and recently made the news due to the fact that they are now considered "failing". The city council is attempting alleviate all this with innovative solutions such as ripping out traffic lights and replacing them with stop signs, and putting bike lanes on the busiest streets in town. Stay away.

PS: I almost forgot meth! What would going to the store in Marshalltown be without watching the meth addled crazies?

[Li'lBeaver]

We left Marshalltown about ten years ago when I retired, being a farm boy at heart we moved to Northern Minnesota looking for the lake experience. We are now looking at moving back as the lake experience is alot of work and getting to town to shop means a 25 mile trip one way although groceries and hardware are only 8 miles away. We have also found the people up here are very hard to get to aquainted with so social activities are very limited.

Marshalltown like other posters has mentioned has only three main employers Fisher Controls, Lennox furnace and AC, and Swifts Packing house, so gainfull employement is somewhat limited. Recreational and social activities in Marshalltown are somewhat limited, but with the the proximity to Ames, Des Moines, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, and Cedar Rapids within 40 to 65 miles one can usually find enough diversion. We also found that there were several decent resturaunts featuring good food and if you patronize them routinely you will find other people who will soon accept you almost like family although they may not invite you into their home or other activities. Schools are pretty good as is shopping.