Moving from Portland, OR to Ankeny, IA (near Des Moines) (home, job transfer)

[katieberit]

Anyone had a similar experience? My husband and I are from the Midwest (he's from Lincoln, NE and I'm from Paynesville, MN). We met out here, and have lived here for about 9 years. Now that we have a 3 year old daughter, we want to move closer to family. My husband can get a job transfer there. We're liberal, but not crazy liberal. I'm wondering what others have experienced when moving from the Pacific Northwest to the suburbs of Des Moines? What was the hardest change? What was the most unexpected positive? My husband and I love the Pacific Northwest. We're huge music fans (Pearl Jam, Black Angels, Dead Meadow, Tame Impala, etc.) My husband is also a huge sports fan. I'm a stay-at-home-mom and I love that Portland has so many indoor (and outdoor) activities for kids. I'm a member of a co-op, OMSI, the Portland Zoo, and the Children's Museum. I feel like there's never a shortage of things to do with my child (and we're hoping to have another one sometime soon). Is that the case in Iowa? I know the schools are much better in Iowa than they are in Portland. Anyway, we're still deliberating on this move, but feel pretty strongly about taking the plunge at some point. It would just be nice to have some extra input. Thanks!

[Nell Plotts]

You really need to pose that question on the IA forum.

Don't be so confident that the schools in that community are 'better' than where you live now. It is difficult to compare schools in one state to another but you could compare SAT scores and the % of students taking college admission tests from one enrollment area to another, that would be high school specific. Every community has neighborhoods with families just getting by where the children do not receive the help at home with their school work.

The real reason for your move is to be closer to family, that is a very good reason and unless the environment would be detrimental to your children's future I recommend it.

[Steve Pickering]

Pearl Jam, Black Angels, Dead Meadow, Tame Impala ???? Are those really bands?


But I can answer your question. Schools in Iowa are not any better than Schools in Oregon. From district to district they are variable. As for co-op, OMSI, the Portland Zoo, and the Children's Museum, they have all those things also depending on where you move. Do you even have a city in mind? Iowa has a lot of corn and not much city.