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Old 01-15-2010, 05:31 PM
 
Location: Iowa, Heartland of Murica
3,425 posts, read 6,306,909 times
Reputation: 3446

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I have been here in Des Moines for a few weeks NOW and I absolutely LOVE this place. So far, I have not had one negative experience, this city is easy to get around and I feel totally safe. Overall, people here are very nice and seem to be more laid back than people in Minneapolis, I will be attending grad school at Iowa State this year and if I could find a decent job after graduating, I would not mind living here for the rest of my life.
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Old 01-16-2010, 10:03 AM
 
30,058 posts, read 18,652,475 times
Reputation: 20861
Quote:
Originally Posted by PDXby7 View Post
I've been frequenting the forums because we are moving from Portland, Oregon, to Oskaloosa IA in the next month or two.

I have found SO many threads that just rip Iowa apart, from crime in Des Moines to how horrible the schools are to how backward & narrow minded Iowan's are.

Please, tell me there is something good about Iowa. (Lol)

We are moving to be near my fiance's family, not to mention, the cost of living is EXTREMELY lower in Osky than in Portland. Here, a three bed house will run you close to $300. We can barely pay our bills on almost $65k/year.

I think we are making the right decision, but after reading time & again how boring Iowa is, how you aren't accepted unless you grew up here, etc, I'm almost second thinking it!

Iowans are intelligent and hard working. Almost any public school system in Iowa will be superior to that in Oregon. Oskaloosa would not be my first pick by any means. If you are looking for a similar size town that is great, choose Pella. There are more jobs in Pella than there are citizens of Pella and it is like American before it was ruined by liberals.
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Old 01-17-2010, 05:56 PM
 
52 posts, read 125,629 times
Reputation: 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dport7674 View Post
Boring and Desolate like the middle of Colorado? Boring and Desolate like the middle of Arizona? Boring as in Upstate New York? Desolate as in most of the South?

What kind of person would move to a small bum fuct town in Iowa and complain of no big cities and NO mountains and nothing to do but Farmers Markets and County Fairs???

No huge lakes. But as I type this, I'm sitting 3 blocks from the Mississippi River, I'm about an hour from some killer skiing, 2 1/2 hrs from Chicago and Des Moines, Less than 4 hrs from Milwaukee, Madison, St. Louis and about 4 hrs from Kansas City.

I've been to countless concerts and sports games in all of those cities. Sports fans in Denver would be envious of the college football/basketball games I've been too in just the last couple of years. Don't even get me started on all the Cubs,Sox, Blackhawks,Bulls,Bears,Cards,Blues,Rams,Chiefs,Roy als,Brewers,Bucks games I've been too.

Every summer I drive from Iowa to Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo.

Portland? Denver? Talk about being stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Isn't Portland the land of constant rain and little sunshine? Dreary cold versus a couple of snowy months in Iowa?
People who hate Iowa make me laugh......IF YOU COME WITH AN ATTITUDE OR PROBLEMS ADJUSTING TO LIFE IN GENERAL, YOU WON'T BE HAPPY ANYWHERE AND USUALLY NEVER HAPPY.
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Old 01-17-2010, 07:57 PM
 
2 posts, read 7,433 times
Reputation: 16
Red face born and raised

i was born and raised in small town iowa. my high school was one of the best in the country for test results. small town iowa is not that bad but sometimes you have to make your own entertainment, bowling alleys, pools, and movie theaters (ok spelling is not my strong point sorry) are only somethings you can do.
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Old 01-23-2010, 12:14 PM
 
Location: Demopolis, AL
6 posts, read 17,490 times
Reputation: 16
Default Moving to Osky

Don't be afraid of Iowa! The people are friendly and I have family that live there still. I have recently moved to Alabama but I spent 51 years in Newton and visiting Osky. The job situation isn't great in Iowa, esp since so many manufacturing opportunities are gone. Farming is always a risky business, but usually the weather is pretty predictable. Yes, winter stinks there, I hope to never see snow again. Latest has been freezing rain and power outages...
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Old 01-26-2010, 02:16 PM
 
9 posts, read 28,725 times
Reputation: 15
I think you've been misinformed about Iowa. I moved here from Illinois seven years ago and was most pleasantly surprised. The state is well governed and the people are cultured. Obviously, no small town can compare to a larger town in certain respects, but I'm sure you know this. Give Iowa your all and you'll not be disappointed.
Terry
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Old 02-01-2010, 03:54 PM
 
43 posts, read 108,610 times
Reputation: 27
I have been a native of Iowa for 43 years. Iowa is a great place to raise a family, great values. Home prices are ok, I live in a 300,000 home so that is no different than where you're at. However, the weather can leave something to be desired. I unfortunately am not much of a winter person and there is no great weekend getaways available like ocean or mountain. My husband and I are actually looking to move in the next couple years for a change of pace. So... not that Iowa is bad it is however for people who enjoy the change of seasons, a lot! Good luck to you. Crime is minimumal in comparison to places outside the midwest I wouldn't worry about that part.
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Old 02-04-2010, 09:25 PM
 
Location: NW Portland
30 posts, read 130,184 times
Reputation: 29
The rain out here does get a bit old!! When it's sunny, it is ahhhh-mazing though. And the greenery can't be beat-- that will be what I miss about the NW! We move in two weeks, and I'm sure it'll be a BIG adjustment, but I grew up in po-dunk Washington. Not too different as far as entertainment goes, I'm sure.

However, I am NOT looking forward to looking at muddy fields for months after the harvests..... Hmmm.... Good thing great family will more than make up for that.
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Old 03-05-2010, 09:11 PM
 
252 posts, read 591,015 times
Reputation: 75
Compared to the MSP, KC, and Seattle, Des Moines is a joke on crime. Most of Des Moines crime is isolated incidents between people who know each other; i.e. domestic violence, assault, etc. I'd say that DSM has more poser gang wannabes than actual gangs. Definately not nearly as many derelict encounters or panhandlers on the street as the larger cities. Once you get out of Downtown and stay away from the Drake, Oak Park, Eastside, and Southside neighborhoods, you are fine. Even then, its not that bad. There are low income areas but every city has those. The suburbs are great. Even first ring suburbs like beaverdale are perfectly safe. Whoever thinks that DSM is a violent place lives under a rock.
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Old 03-06-2010, 12:51 PM
 
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
2,401 posts, read 4,347,219 times
Reputation: 1464
Quote:
Originally Posted by nrogers1122 View Post
Compared to the MSP, KC, and Seattle, Des Moines is a joke on crime. Most of Des Moines crime is isolated incidents between people who know each other; i.e. domestic violence, assault, etc. I'd say that DSM has more poser gang wannabes than actual gangs. Definately not nearly as many derelict encounters or panhandlers on the street as the larger cities. Once you get out of Downtown and stay away from the Drake, Oak Park, Eastside, and Southside neighborhoods, you are fine. Even then, its not that bad. There are low income areas but every city has those. The suburbs are great. Even first ring suburbs like beaverdale are perfectly safe. Whoever thinks that DSM is a violent place lives under a rock.
Beaverdale IS Des Moines. It is a neighborhood, not a suburb.
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