How Do You Like Living In Iowa? (Des Moines, Davenport: theatres, high school)

[Guttdogg]

Absoutely love it in Iowa, lived here all my life (for the most part)

As far as stuff to do? I live 20 min from the 'Iowa Great Lakes' so there's ALWAYS something going on. We have some of the cheapiest cost of living (in my area) schools are great, and depending on what you're looking for, there are always good jobs available.

[organic mama]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

Cold winters, steaming hot summers. High taxes, schools OK, but getting worse. Good malls in the bigger cities. People are great and there is an amazing diversity for a "hick" state.

Lived here 58 years. Leaving when I retire. State taxes are too high and state legislature's fix is a joke.

You are SOOOOooo right!!!!
Cold winters are usually Blizzards with 20-30 below Zero. Steaming Hot summers ain't no joke. Can we say HUMIDITY? Taxes are Crazy...schools are closing and joining other schools to make BIG Institions. ALOT OF METH Problems, since there isn't alot to do...except shopping in the BIG Cities. Ohhh don't forget the Hog confinements that are continually growing in all surrounding small towns..and is you have allergy problems....Heyfever is a big problem along with harvest time..when all the farmers go into thier fields for harvest season.
Only positive side in Iowa....
Iowa does have some beautiful areas along the missippi river..and especially when it's fall...but that's about it.

[Tek_Freek]

Cactus Sam.

You see, I've lived in the desert in California and Arizona and came back to Iowa. The problem isn't Iowa, it's you and your attitudes. They don't mix well with those found here. Just like mine didn’t mix well there. As for friendly - I, and most others who are Iowa natives - have never met a stranger. I do however avoid anyone with a lousy attitude and it sounds like you had one towards Iowa and it's people. Don't need your bad vibes, dude.

I do appreciate your comments, though. I would have appreciated them more years ago, but since I'm retiring somewhere else they aren't as important.

You see, Iowans have a tendency to tell everyone how terrible it is here so you won't move to our state. We don't want to be another California or Arizona. We want to stay Iowa. An Iowa with all it's faults, minus those people who don't appreciate why Iowa is Iowa. Pigs, corn, allergies, cold, hot, friendly, schools or lack of, State Fair, ethnic diversity, tornados, it's Iowa. Take it or leave.

As I get older I want to be in a sunnier climate and pay less taxes. That's why I'm leaving. Well, that and the influx of out-of-staters with lousy attitudes.

As for meth. Hello! Isn't anyone paying attention? Meth is a national problem. If you see a post complaining about meth being a location-specific problem you are reading a post written by an uninformed person and should be cautious about everything else they've written. They obviously don't do much research.

Iowa doesn't miss you.

[organic mama]

I was born and raised most of my life in Iowa. Most of the Natives in Iowa are simple and like to take things slow. They are Very friendly and like to talk...especialy the older ones.
Iowans are a bit on the conservative side. But...Oh'well.
The only reason I can't stand Iowa is because of the Winter season and Hayfever season.
I moved to Oregon awhile ago now and love it, but greatly miss the laid back attitudes of Iowans.
Everybody is in a hurry on the west coast..and it seems like they just forgot how to smell the roses. I've talked to many "Native" oregonians and they all tell me the same thing... "Oregon wasn't always like this, but when the Californians started moving here...
they brought thier attitudes and mind sets with them. Fast pace, rude and arrogant."
It's sad but true.
I don't think Iowa will ever have that problem, since most people can't stand a slow lifestyle.
The simple things of life bring Joy to most True Iowans.

[STRAIT]

My brother moved from south Texas to Iowa a little over a year ago and just loves it. He said the summer months were wonderful compared to what we have to experience here. The people are very friendly, housing is afforable and as far as taxes go, he went from paying almost 5,000 a year in property taxes to just 800.00 a year in Iowa. He did say it took awhile to get use to driving in the ice, but wouldn't move back to Texas for anything. As far as schools go, his children who were both honor students in Texas schools struggled all year to catch up to the children in Iowa schools. I guess it all depends on where you're from and what you want out of life. He enjoys a sense of community in his small Iowa town, something we haven't been able to enjoy in our area of Texas for sometime. Sometimes, getting the most out of life is as simple as knowing where to live.....................

[Southside Shrek]

Tek Freek
I concur with you about Iowa. it truly still is a great State in our nation's Heartland and I can never say a negative word about Iowa, Iowans or the Hawkeyes. I truly enjoyed the time I spent there up around Fayette County where most everyone was friendly and simple. Area farmers graciously let me go pheasant hunting on their farms and I was always treated with warm Iowan hospitality.

[elfyum]

sounds wonderful! I am dying to visit! Does anyone have an opinion of Fairfield? Is it true Iowa or not really representative of true Iowa? Where would be a great place for a first visit? A nice small town that represents true Iowa? Thanks for your thoughts!

[Southside Shrek]

Originally Posted by elfyum

sounds wonderful! I am dying to visit! Does anyone have an opinion of Fairfield? Is it true Iowa or not really representative of true Iowa? Where would be a great place for a first visit? A nice small town that represents true Iowa? Thanks for your thoughts!

Elfyum
most small towns in Iowa don't offer a whole lot to do and see. what are you looking for in particular?

there are several small towns in northeastern Iowa which I think are nice, including Decorah. You could also swing by the large State park and lake outside of Fayette to the south of Decorah...beautiful wooded and hilly countryside.

[MoMark]

Originally Posted by Cactus Sam

We moved to Iowa in the late 1990's, after carefully researching as much as we could. (Much like you are doing right now.)

At first we liked the quaintness. It was like going back in time at least 40 years. But, after awhile we grew to despise the place.

Our family's experience with Iowa (along with several other people we met from out of state that moved there and left, also) is:

It is backwards, dirty, moldy and decrepit. The people HATE outsiders and if you do not have any "ties" with relatives in the state, or if you were not born in Iowa - you will never be accepted. Never.

Don't worry about the mosquitos - worry about the stink of hog lots and ethanol plants, the lack of laws, the ignorance and inbreeding of the people.
The rudeness, the moldy restaurants, the dirty stores. Oh, and did I say ignorance? Oh, and how about the run down houses in the dead and dying small towns? Oh, and the meth labs everywhere....everywhere...

We have NOTHING good to say about Iowa except that we sold our house - at a loss, of course. And got the heck out of there. We would have walked away if it hadn't sold, but fortunately it did.

We moved to the desert in California, and are dumbfounded at the nice, friendly people. We hadn't been around friendly people in years. Iowans are not nice people at all. No, not at all - not to outsiders.

I hope my post helps you because I wish people had told us when we were researching Iowa about how backwards it is there. They kept talking about the weather. The weather is nothing. It's being around the people there that is so horrific.

We wasted several years in Iowa. I wouldn't wish that place on my worst enemy. Go West - you will never regret it.

Remember, the people are a big part of where you move - and Iowa is most definitely not a friendly state. It was a nightmare that is over!!

Think about California, Arizona, etc. People are nice there.

Oh - LOL - just watch the "non-judgemental Christian" Iowans rally up and attack this post! You will laugh. They cannot take any criticism, because they know it is true.

Adios, Iowa - we couldn't move far enough away from you.

We now live in a house in an area with nice people, our house is increasing in value daily, there are many things to do, and the people are NICE again.

I'm glad you like "friendly" California. And as a native Californian, I agree with you with California's friendliness. It is friendly, but so is Iowa. The degree with which you bash the state really makes me question whether it was really you that caused the perception. I live in Southwest Missouri, moved here from Las Vegas knowing NO ONE. I looked for a house that suited me for six months while living in an Extended Stay America with two hotplates. I was fed constantly home-cooked dinners by people who were friends of people I met. I was invited to arts and town events in Springfield, including formal events, barbecues, etc. I have a bigger circle of friends now here than I ever had in California or Nevada, and I find people incredibly friendly. It what YOU make of it, not the place you move to. I think you got sour on Iowa for whatever reasons, painted the state with a black tar brush based on a bad experience (selling a house at a loss might qualifty for that, though that's happening around the country right now), and I think your overall judgement was extreme and unfair. But, if you're happy in California's desert, that's good.

[Southside Shrek]

I don't know where Cactus Sam lived at in Iowa to write such negative things in a broad brush fashion. Without any specifics it's hard to credit what he said.

Glad he's now happy in the California desert with the extreme heat, scorpions and rattlers. Death Valley is not a place many would like to live.