How Do You Like Living In Iowa? (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids: houses, crime)

[blakeb99]

I will be moving to the midwest soon and am possibly looking at Iowa. I am wondering from the people who live there how it is? Do they have as much cold weather and mosquitos as their neighbor minnesota? how are the roads and stuff? is traffic a problem there?

[jackielea]

Originally Posted by blakeb99

I will be moving to the midwest soon and am possibly looking at Iowa. I am wondering from the people who live there how it is? Do they have as much cold weather and mosquitos as their neighbor minnesota? how are the roads and stuff? is traffic a problem there?

Traffic... lol... where exactly are you looking into? I live in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area and we don't have any traffic problems. It all depends what it is you call traffic. I lived in Miami for a while so nothing here compares to it.

People are pretty laid back here for the most part, there are a number of big fish in a small pond roaming about. To me, I find it pretty boring, not much to do. Then again, it al depends what your interests are.

The last time I experineced mosquitos was in the spring time. Which is nice I can recall last year there being a lot of them. But that's why there's bug spray. And no, it doesn't get colder than MN. Hope that helps you out.

[blakeb99]

it seems like there'd be a lot to do in iowa. just looking at a map, there are many major cities...davenport, iowa city, des moines, etc....all within hours distance. so i would think there are many shopping malls and stuff to do? the state seems pretty nice. i hate traffic congestion. i know this is hard to avoid in big cities, but would hope the roads and interstates are nice and big to help minimize this. thanks for the insight.

[TommyG]

It all depends on what part of the state you live in. I'm in Western Iowa, which is pretty much dull. But Des Moines is growing rapidly, and has plenty of local activities, concerts, events, etc. I also liked Iowa City and Coralville.

Winters can be brutally cold, especially if you're not accustomed to the temps. The coldest actual temperature I've seen since living here (11 years) has been 31 degrees below zero. The wind chill was close to 80 below. When it's that cold, you feel it to your soul. I've seen years though with almost no snow, and I've seen years where it snowed in early November, and you couldn't see your lawn again until April.

The only traffic issues we have around here occurs when there's road construction (two lane highways) or when a stray cow gets on the highway. Yes, it happens.

[blakeb99]

nice...thanks for all the info!

[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.

[chrisfromiowa]

Originally Posted by blakeb99

it seems like there'd be a lot to do in iowa. just looking at a map, there are many major cities...davenport, iowa city, des moines, etc....all within hours distance. so i would think there are many shopping malls and stuff to do? the state seems pretty nice. i hate traffic congestion. i know this is hard to avoid in big cities, but would hope the roads and interstates are nice and big to help minimize this. thanks for the insight.

Davenport and the whole QC(Davenport, Bettendorf, Rock Island,Ill, Moline, Ill), is my favorite place to visit...in davenport there are lots of stores in the downtown area but there are also two major malls...Northpark in Dport and Southridge in Moline...Both are about the same last i knew...the interstates are nice such as I-80...Davenport for the most part is relatively safe but on the other hand, The illinois part of the qc is kinda dangerous but relatively safe also depending where you are...mainly down by the river in illinois and downtown in iowa...hope that helps you out

[Tek_Freek]

Check out the crime stats for West Des Moines

[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.

[rmyers412]

I lived in Iowa for most of my life. At least 29 years of it. Des Moines, Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Lincoln, Storm Lake, Ames, and West Des Moines. I would agree that most Iowans are very guarded. Some people are nice.

Des Moines was rated one of the most violent of cities its size. It can be extremely cold in January(typically below zero) and reaches about 100 during the Iowa State Fair in August. Otherwise I consider temps to be pretty moderate for the Midwest. Madison, WI, was a great place to live.

I would prefer it to Des Moines or pretty much anywhere in Iowa. If I lived in Iowa I would live in Des Moines, and probably in West Des Moines or maybe the far South side where the new developments are. East side and North side are the most run down. Parts of Urbandale are nice. Lots of growth toward Dallas County to the north. Valley West Mall in West Des Moines or the new Jordan Creek Mall are the best shopping in the area. I wouldn't say that Iowa is a good place to shop at all. But if you just need the basics you are ok. My wife and I used to go to Kansas City or Minneapolis if we wanted true shopping.