Are there areas in the Des Moines metro area that are more liberal minded then others? (West Des Moines: crime, houses)

[nw_chick]

I am considering moving back to Iowa to be with family... Are there areas in the Des Moines metro area that are more liberal minded then others? What areas have more cultural events and activities? Ideally, I would prefer an older, established neighborhood (lots of mature trees) where our family could walk to locally owned restaurants/shops. Should we be worried about crime in certain areas?

A little background...

I grew up in a small town (30 minutes from Spirit Lake/Okoboji) in Northwest Iowa and my husband is originally from the Ankeny area. We met in college and have lived in Michigan and Indiana. About 10 years ago, we talked about moving back to Iowa. It would be fair to say I've always had wanderlust so I wasn't too excited about moving back. Anyway, an opportunity arose and we relocated to the Portland, Oregon area. It is a beautiful area and we really love it. However, as I've gotten older I have wondered if my daughter (she's 9 years old) would benefit with being around her grandparents more. Currently, she only sees them once a year. My husband also worries a bit about his dad (my father-in-law is in his mid-70's and is still farming full time by himself) and would like to spend more time with him.

I am concerned that moving back to Iowa will be a bit of a culture shock after living in the Pacific Northwest for the last ten years. I am hoping that there is an area in the Des Moines area that would make the transition easier. Thoughts?

[El Rhino]

Sherman Hill fits the bill. It's an older Victorian neighborhood with a lot of young renters. Honestly, there's not A LOT of businesses in the immediate area but within 6-10 blocks there's quite a bit. If you were to drive through, you would see a lot of liberal bumper stickers on cars, for what that's worth.

As far as crime goes in that area, it's adjacent to some sketchy areas so there's a lot of unsavory characters passing through but it's not that bad. The area is getting a little nicer.

[tollfree]

Ingersoll area, possibly East Village. Liberalism in DSM can seem somewhat feigned, almost over-exaggerated by a small minority. Don't expect it to be naturally occurring to the extent you're used to, but you can find it.

[Tek_Freek]

I used to think were some other liberals in this area. Until the last election. Now we're even more anxious to get out of here.

[Stavemaster]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

I used to think were some other liberals in this area. Until the last election. Now we're even more anxious to get out of here.

So instead of working to make the area better and more liberal you'd rather just abandon ship?

(And yes, I recognize the irony of posting that from San Francisco)

[nw_chick]

Thank you for your suggestions. I suspected that a possible transition back to to Iowa would be hard. Although, I was hoping that I would find a few neighborhoods that had a vibe similar to Portland.

[humdood]

The west side of Des Moines (not West Des Moines) is pretty nice and has a good share of liberal people living there. I don't know what your budget is but the neighborhood known as Waterbury is a very safe established neighborhood with many nice houses that are well cared for. It is just off the interstate about 5 min from downtown and 10 or 15 to the far western suburbs. It is very close to many nice bike paths. It also has the added benefit of great schools (Rosevelt High School).

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by Stavemaster

So instead of working to make the area better and more liberal you'd rather just abandon ship?

(And yes, I recognize the irony of posting that from San Francisco)

Yeah, posting from SF seems a bit, well, distant. The problem is that it isn't just local. The whole state seems to have gone off the rails. We have a governor who promised to add 200,000 jobs. His finest effort (lately) in getting that done is to close most of the unemployment offices and replace them with kiosks.

I'll lay a $100 dollar bill on the table that he doesn't do any better, and will probably do worse, than the last time he was governor.

And the insanity of the latest political craze isn't the main reason we're leaving. Taxes, weather, COL in general, expensive to fly anywhere, yadda yadda.

[tollfree]

Agreed, Iowa has basically become a "reactionary" state with the reversion to Branstad. The state that chose Obama to win the caucus and legalized gay marriage doesn't seem quite so liberal anymore. It never really was. Next on the docket could be anti-hispanic legislation.

[steel03]

IOWA elected Branstad, not Des Moines.
You should look at Sherman Hill, Waveland, and Windsor Heights.