What BestPlaces Users Say about Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids is a city located in Iowa with a population of approximately 133,562 residents. It is known for its diverse economy, affordable housing, and a strong sense of community. The city offers a variety of recreational activities, including biking and hiking trails, parks, and cultural events. It also has a growing arts and cultural scene, making it an attractive place to live for individuals and families.
Summarizing the user reviews on bestplaces.net, many people love living in Cedar Rapids for its friendly and welcoming community, low cost of living, and access to outdoor activities. One user, John, shares, "Cedar Rapids is a great place to live for families. It has good schools, a safe environment, and plenty of fun things to do." Another reviewer, Sarah, appreciates the affordability of the city, stating, "I love how affordable it is to live in Cedar Rapids. The cost of living is much lower compared to other cities, making it easier to save money." However, some reviewers mention areas for improvement, such as John who notes, "The city could use more job opportunities and a better public transportation system." Overall, the majority of users have positive experiences living in Cedar Rapids and recommend it as a great place to call home.
based on 39 ReviewsGet to know Cedar Rapids with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids is a diamond in the rough - 12/4/2006
After 23 years in CR, I thought it was the end of the road so I moved to Los Angeles. What a mistake. Where to begin? 4 years in L.A. and I'm legally insane. So big cities have entertainment, that's it. There are 500 headaches that come with that entertainment. Cedar Rapids has low cost of living, great schools, low unemployment, 'generally' nice people, and many big city amenities without the hassles. As others here have said, it is a small town trying to act big but on the retail end of the segment, between CR and IC, they have almost everything LA has. The food selection is good but not as good as a large city. I look at like this. It takes 2 hours to get anywhere in L.A., and Chicago and STL are a little over 3 hours from CR. Why not live in CR and scat off to the big cities every once in a while? The best of both worlds. You get a 2000 sq ft house in CR for $180k, vs. $600k in the suburbs of LA. Californian's like to say, "Why don't you try harder to make it in L.A.?" I say,
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Tornadoes in Northeast Iowa - 6/26/2006
I can tell you this its like any other place, youll here a crash of lightning but thats about it occasonaly we will get a tornado warning but thats it. Ive heard of tornadoes around the Des Monies area and their to isloated. I dont really consider this state in Tornado Alley, the weather is great from the months of May-November with alot of
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RE: Tornado Statistics - 6/5/2006
I'm so happy Brian lives where it's 60 to 70 degrees every day. I'm sure he can also mow his lawn in about 5 minutes because it's probably 20 feet long.
Anyway, I grew up in CR (18 years) and I only remember one tornado that ever struck the town. Iowa is north and east of Tornado Alley. That doesn't mean there aren't tornadoes, they just aren't as frequent or as violent as those in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas.
My general comments about Iowa are that it's a horrible place to live if you are in your 20's, but it's a great place to raise a family once you are married and settled down. The education system has always been in the Top 5 nationally.
If you're looking for a midwest city with some night life, I would recommend Minneapolis. The weather is pretty horrid, but they realize that and try to alleviate it with things like indoor driving ranges and
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You can't go wrong - 4/21/2006
If you are looking for a safe place to settle so you can raise your kids away from the problems of big cities, Iowa is it. Other than a few places in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, and even fewer in Waterloo, the quality of education is outstanding and students receive individual attention from well-trained educators. Unlike places where students can frequently "cut class" without parents finding out, my sister received a phone call from the school principal himself when her son spoke dismissively to him during lunch period. Furthermore, standardized testing is frequently among the highest in the
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iowa isn't that bad - 3/26/2006
I'm a single mom and couldn't imagine raising my child and future family any where but cedar rapids. waterloo has some higher crime and over all it's a more confusing place with a economy that dosen't seem to be as stable as cedar rapids. Cedar rapids has many major factories that keep jobs but it's still a "small town" it's large enough to be able to have choices of where to go. but small enough you don't need to worry about your childern quite as much as other
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Very nice people, low crime, and good schools - 3/26/2006
I have been living here for 10 years.Moved here from Florida (won't go back. too much crime and humidity).The people are very nice and friendly.They value family and relationships.The schools are very good.Cedar Rapids provides your child with a good public education and your kids can avoid the drug scene (my kids did and about 90% of their friends).About the crime.When I first moved here it was reported that the majority of all murders in Cedar Rapids were commited by someone they knew.I beleave that.You here the followup to a murder and, sure enough, it was someone they knew.So just pick your friends wisely in Cedar Rapids.One crime that is fairly predictable is bank robberies.They happen just before Christmas.Jobs are good here.Helps if you have a college degree.When the kids are done with school, my husband and I will move away from Cedar Rapids.There just insn't enough outdoor activities for us.We like to hike(not to many mountains) and cycle(west side of town the city is lacking
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Life in CR, Iowa - 1/28/2006
The cost of living, housing market, and car insurance are cheap. You will live in the biggest houses for 1/2 the price compared to big cities. As a big city native, moving here is a oonstant adjustment. Its a small town trying to act big. The people here believe they are the friendliest in the nation and I beg to differ. They can be very clicky, rude, and crass. If you're over 25 and don't have kids, you're in a serious minority. Be prepared for non-stop obsession with education, kids, sports, and kids playing sports. They are also obsessed with their work ethic, and many feel putting in 10-12 hours is norm. There's a lack of culture here, but you can sniff out pockets of cool people wth a little effort. Your best friends for the first year will be bartenders since everyone else holds you at arms length. Its also full of bland mid-western white people with limited creativity. Moving here is a good experience to see different qualities of life, but long term here is
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low cost of living and bad weather - 1/20/2006
relocated here for work- the cost of living is quite low. its a very family friendly town with lots to do IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN. it seems quite conservative and not very diverse. people seem pretty frienldy at first. the summers are hot and humid and the winters are VERY cold. easy to get around town with very little
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