Grand Rapids Business Daily

I'm planning on moving to Iowa and need help choosing a city?

I'm from the OC in California and my wife and I are planning to move to Iowa but I'm having a hard time choosing a city. What city is the nicest? Which is better out of: Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, the Heart of Iowa, Knoxville, Pleasantville, Cedar Falls, & Dubuque If you're out there and know about these cities let me know which are good to start a family there. Clean and Friendly.

Public Comments

1. How could you choose a State without any idea what city is best? If you're Protestant, check out Amana.
2. el monte.. thats why its called .. friendly el monte =]
3. The city that is best for you is pendant upon many factors. You need to work so the first thing you should check out is the job market. You will find it vastly different that California. I assume that if you want to start a family, you would also like to feed them and need to be gainfully employed. :-) Iowa is is still very "small town" even in its larger cities. I grew up across the river and a bit south of Dubuque. Dubuque is an old river town that is in the process of revitalizing. They have houses as old and as wonderfully built (think Painted Ladies)as Galena but have never drawn the attention of Chicagoans wanting a retreat within driving distance of the city. The property values are much more reasonable and Dubuque has made some great strides in the last few years at becoming more attractive to tourists and house hunters. They still have a long way to go. Iowa City is a college town and, as such, offers a bit more in the way of night life and culture - although you will probably still experience culture shock coming from California. It has the usual college town issues but they don't seem so in your face because they tend to be more spread out. Cedar Rapids is also a river town but not on the Mississippi. It is the largest industrial city in Iowa and about 75 miles southwest of Dubuque. It is the second largest city in IA, after Des Moines. Grant Woods lived in Cedar Rapids for a while. Cedar Falls is much smaller and more quaint looking area. It is home to many lakes and outdoor recreational activities. It is quite beautiful but also has a higher than average number of tourists. Take that as plus or minus according to your personal tastes. I am sorry but I have no personal knowledge of the other locations. In short, Iowa will be a big change for both of you. The cost of living will be significantly lower than what you are accustomed to but so will the salaries. Make sure to check job options and then, pack up and take a visit to the areas you are considering. Make sure to look through realistic eyes not just rose colored glasses. In Iowa you are going to have to deal with snow - sometimes lots of it. You will have to deal with traveling farther for enrichment opportunities for your children. You will have to deal with small town attitudes and perceptions. You will also have the benefits that go with small town living - knowing your neighbors, building close relationships and less crime and lower cost of living. In the end, it all boils down to personal preference and your perspective on life. I have found that happy people can usually be happy anywhere and grumpy people can find something to grump about in paradise. Best wishes!
4. If there's a job for you in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Cedar Falls, or Dubuque, those would be good choices. Knoxville and Pleasantville don't seem to fit in the same category as the other four so it's a little difficult to make sense from your list. Do you have job offers in those towns (that's what they are -- small towns).