What do you love and hate about living in Iowa? (Des Moines: good schools, college)

[jeevcy]

I was in Des Moines, and it wasn't bad. But then, there is not much to see around ... traffic is not a problem at all. Infact, I drove once to Minneapolis and realized I'd forgotten how to brake in traffic. in fact, if you are familiar with your way back home, you can take a nap while driving ...

Pluses to live in Iowa: much less traffic, Inexpensive

Minuses: no mountains, very few trees, very few lakes, flat landscapes with cornfields for miles and miles.

[gypsy77]

People treated me like an outsider the entire year I lived there also. Burlington was the worst, but it wasn't much better in Iowa City. Only because Iowa City has a lot of small town Iowa locals and they act exactly the same as they did before they moved to the "big city." But of course Iowa City does have out of state people there going to college or graduated and decided to stay, those people seem open minded and accepting of new people and much nicer. And I thought the midwest would have nice lakes to swim in, too bad most of them are polluted (apparently from the pesticides from the farmlands) and swimming is not advised, so the signs say! Yuck! So much for enjoying the lakes on a hot, humid, unbearable summer day! And don't get me started on the winters there. I love snow, but not that much, and for that long, and with that much ICE! The ice storms are really something else. Yeah, yeah, the schools in Iowa are probably good, but education doesn't only take place in the classroom. We also have to teach our kids at home, how to be tolerant and accepting of many different types of people. And that is why I won't raise them in Iowa. We wouldn't be doing them a service by raising them in a plastic bubble. Unless we plan on forcing them to stay there for the rest of their lives. Like my husbands parents tried to do to him. Iowa isn't all bad, at least the bats have millions upon millions of mosquitoes to eat. LOL!

[Milwife]

I grew up in eastern iowa. I moved away about 13 years ago and have lived in Europe and 3 states since that time. I have enjoyed myself everywhere that i have lived, but I can't wait to return to Iowa someday. I have lived in NC, AL, and NY and find that the school systems are not comparable in any of these states. I notice that a lot of people say that people are not accepting of "newbies" I have a hard time believing this. My hometown is 99.9% caucasion, if you weren't born there, then there is really no reason that you would move there. My husband is hispanic and he has been travelling there with me for 10 years and he has never felt anything but welcome. What you should realize is that a lot of the "meaness" that people talk about is sort of a cultural thing. Iowa has a large German/Slovakian heritage. They don't have a lot of time and patience for B.S. People say what they mean and mean what they say. They are often brutally honest, but don't necessarily mean harm by this. I would suggest for you or anyone else that is considering a big move to do your homework and travel to the area that you are considering living in. Take your time and make sure it is the right place for you. You might choose to live a town and hate it, and if you had just chosen the next town down the road, you may be the happiest you can be. Take your time and choose wisely!

[ehenningsen]

I can't understand how somebody could move into a state with a rolling economy and in an area of the country with some of the friendliest people and hate it that bad..

I guess I can understand that if you move from one part of the country and into another with a certain type of mentality it can certainly turn people off.

I know that I have met people here from different parts of the country, and they'll have this weird mentality that somehow they are real knowledgeable on what makes Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota a 'bad state' in the mindsets of outsiders, yet they don't know that I have lived in their part of the country and the very substance of quality of life is what they are lacking that we have...

I mention Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota because these three states represent an area that are tops in every area of quality of life:

1. Economy - Great jobs and tops in the nation for power of the dollar 'after'
cost of living and taxes are accounted for..

2. Friendliness - We all already know about this..

3. Urban and Rural - Great cities, great small communities and nobody in these
states are that far from a big city, unless you get into
nw and north central Nebraska and central and
northern South Dakota, Iowa has a decent sized
community everywhere you turn..

4. Education - We are well educated and our test scores prove this..

5. Sports - This area is very well fed with college sports and their traditions,
you really cannot get any better than the history of the
University of Iowa or Nebraska, and other colleges in the area
are fun to follow as well..

6. Weather - If you like the four seasons and like to see weather events, well
you may want to move here, because this area of the country
is extremely fun in this category!

7. Things to do - This is a silly stigma, there's things to do all over the place
and somehow the Cheesecake factory in Des Moines and
Omaha is not as fun as any in the SW? I don't buy that!
We have Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, Camping Worlds, we
have very nice camping and outdoorsy areas, and believe
it or not, if you leave the interstate there are some visually
appealing areas as well.

The bad... If you come in with the attitude that this area has to make up for the loss of a professional sport, the mountains or oceans, then you have basically defeated the whole purpose on what this part of the country is all about, we don't have those things, but we certainly do have many other things that places in those regions of the US do not have !

This is something off the top of my head, anyone else want to add to this?

[Tek_Freek]

I am, for the most part, a lifer. I have lived all over the country, but returned to Iowa. That said I am leaving when I retire. Two reasons: Taxes, and winter. Taxes here are high. Pensions are taxed here. I own land where neither is true. I am getting tired of moving snow and being cold. I am moving where neither is as bad.

Iowa. It depends, as it does for any place you are, where you are. There are towns in Iowa that I wouldn't want to live in. The same is true for any state. Every state has "closed" towns: If you aren't a native, go away. It's an ingrained (inbred?) mentality that is found all over. Most small towns in Iowa aren't like this, some are.

Entertainment. We went to see the Rockettes in December at the Civic Center. Billy Joel is coming in April, I think it is. We saw Celtic Women at the Hyee Vee Hall last fall. Des Moines holds one of the top outdoor Arts Festivals in the country every summer. Iowa State Fair (Ever seen the movie State Fair? That about ours) is a lot of fun. Car show lover? you'll not want for hot rods around here. Shopping? In the Des Moines area you will find pretty much anything you need.

Bigger cities? We drive to Omaha often, Kansas City at least once a year on my birthday (long story that became a tradition) and Minneapolis is about 4-4 1/2 hours. We go to Chicago for weekends every couple of years. Allegiant Air flies non-stop to Vegas and we take advantage of that as often as we can. We have found a little town named Eureka Springs in Arkansas that we visit for long weekends. About a 7 1/2 hour drive.

I know not all of this is about Iowa, but it shouldn't be. I doubt you're expecting to be "stuck" inside the state borders!

Weather is, well, interesting. We do have four seasons. Two extreme seasons. Winters can be cold. Saturday temperature is not expected to reach 5 (five!) degrees. I don't even want to know what the wind chill will be. I have to go out to install computers Saturday and I'd rather stay home in front of a fire. Which reminds me, look for a house with a fireplace. And no drafts! Spring is glorious here, you just can't imagine the smell of Iowa soil until you've experienced it. It will grow pretty much anything (you like to garden?), but the climate precludes non hardy perennials. Summer, especially after July, can be unbearable. High nineties and humidity like you've never experienced before. Not every year, but when it happens, you won't like it. Fall is great. Brisk, clean air, beautiful trees, a slowing down in anticipation of winter.

Let's start with a good winter picture. I know, I'm mean.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k315/Tek_Freek/I35snow2.jpg (broken link)

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k315/Tek_Freek/IMG_1115.jpg (broken link)

See the lump at the bottom of the picture above? The white one? That's a Volvo wagon next door.


http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k315/Tek_Freek/IMG_1101.jpg (broken link)

I have no summer pictures loaded to Photobucket so I can't help there, but here's a Google link to images that you can browse through.

pictures of iowa - Google Image Search (http://tinyurl.com/yw2u7b - broken link)

[maousn75]

My wife and kids and I moved to Burlington and people here make us feel very welcome. I am still amazed at how friendly people are here. I moved from Texas where life is a rat race and where many people are rude. I don't know why some people on here say that others are rude here. I have never experienced it. Many people complain about nothing to do. What do they mean by having things to do? Bars and clubs? Are they serious? You've been to one, you've been to them all. Grow up, slow down, and enjoy life. You can't beat it here. It's not heaven, it's Iowa!

[Dport7476]

Originally Posted by Cactus Sam

Our family also moved to Iowa from California.

It was the biggest mistake of our life, and we spent several miserable years there.

We finally sold our house in Iowa and are happily living back in California.

My only suggestion is to rent and not buy. That way you can easily return home or leave the state without much hassle.

It's always so sad when I think of other Californians going through what we went through there.

You arrive with the highest of hopes, and leave with a broken spirit.

It's not fun living where you are always going to be an "outsider" just because you were not born there.
At first, it's amusing. After a few years, it is intolerable.

Our children are thriving now that they are back in a better environment.

Where did you live, Bum fuct Iowa? Des moines, Quad Cities, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids plus a dozen other cities are big enough that no one could know you are an "outsider".

[Busch71]

What do you love and hate about living in Iowa?

Love being around my family. Hate pretty much everything else about the state.

The weather sucks most of the year. Except for a few weeks during spring and fall you can flush the rest. Not a lot to do here. Scenery is seriously lacking unless small towns and miles and miles of corn and soybean fields is your idea of "beautiful scenery." I never understood why so many people say Iowans are friendly. I lived here all of my life except for 6 years in Oregon and I have to say that, for the most part, people are friendlier in Oregon. I can't wait for 2011 to roll around so I can hightail it back to Oregon.

[Northern Traveler]

Originally Posted by Busch71

Love being around my family. Hate pretty much everything else about the state.

The weather sucks most of the year. Except for a few weeks during spring and fall you can flush the rest. Not a lot to do here. Scenery is seriously lacking unless small towns and miles and miles of corn and soybean fields is your idea of "beautiful scenery." I never understood why so many people say Iowans are friendly. I lived here all of my life except for 6 years in Oregon and I have to say that, for the most part, people are friendlier in Oregon. I can't wait for 2011 to roll around so I can hightail it back to Oregon.

I've never said Iowa is unfriendly, but I strongly disagree with those who say Iowa is "so friendly."

... Don't get me wrong, I love Iowa. But people here are soo reserved. I've lived here all my life and still notice it A LOT. Maybe I've just gotten out of the state enough to know better.

[tollfree]

I agree, for instance, in other cities, Chicago for example, it's acceptable to ask a stranger for directions, or strike up a conversation with the person next to you while you're waiting to get your oil changed. Do that anywhere in Iowa, and they'll look at you as if you're from Mars, yes even in Des Moines. The average person isn't too friendly in Iowa, but that's just the culture, not really that big a deal, it will probably never change so get used to it.

I think people are surprised to meet someone nice. I always say thank you to cashiers and you can tell they aren't used to hearing it much.

Winters in Central Iowa really aren't as bad compared to other cities in the Upper Midwest.