I love living in Central Iowa. Sure we may not be close to an ocean or mountains, but we have a lot of other great things going for us. In fact, Central Iowa is a great place to raise a family. Here are 10 Reasons Central Iowa Doesn’t Suck to Raise a Family:
- Lots of School Options – Where you are looking for public, Catholic, Christian or Montessori, Central Iowa has them all. Do you want to homeschool? No problem, Iowa has some great resources to help you out.
- Cost of Living – Compared to the rest of the country the Cost of Living in Central Iowa is 6-10 percent less. So your money goes a lot further here.
- Healthy Food Options – Trying to eat organic and natural? Then Central Iowa has you covered. With options like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Campbell’s Nutrition and the Hyvee Health Market you will have no trouble finding what you need. The Des Moines Farmer’s Market also provides great options during the Summer.
- Low Unemployment Rate – Which means it’s easier to find jobs to help support your family. Des Moines ranks as one of the top Job Markets in 2014.
- Places to Worship – Whether you are looking for a super church like Lutheran Church of Hope that has over 10,000 people attend holiday services or a small church with less than 50 people Central Iowa has many options to choose from.
- Affordable Family Housing – You won’t have any trouble finding a 3 or 4 bedroom home for under $200,000.
- Little or No Rush Hour – A bad rush hour in Central Iowa can delay you only 10-15 minutes. This means less time stuck in traffic on the way to work or to pick up the kids.
- 4 Seasons – Yes here in Central Iowa you get to actually experience the 4 different seasons with your family. We have a white Winter, a rainy green Spring, a hot/humid Summer and a crisp beautiful Fall. This presents lots of different opportunities for all kinds of outdoor activities (swimming, sledding) and a chance to see all of Mother Nature’s beauty.
- Kid’s Activities – There is no shortage of activities for your kiddos in Central Iowa. Soccer, Football, Baseball, Basketball, Dance, Gymnastics, Boy Scouts, Art Classes and just about anything else you can think of. Speaking of Gymnastics. Central Iowa just happens to be the home to Chow’s Gymnastics, which has trained 2 Olympic Gold Medalists. Not bad at all.
- Small Town Feel, Big City Options – The people in Central Iowa are among the nicest people in the Midwest. So you get that small town, community feel, but you also have the opportunities that a bigger city provides. One day you might be visiting a farm to pick pumpkins and the next you may be enjoying a sushi dinner downtown. It’s the best of both worlds.
