What BestPlaces Users Say about Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa is the capital and most populous city in the state. It is known for its diverse economy, affordable cost of living, and friendly community. With a population of over 216,000, Des Moines attracts people from all walks of life. To gain a better understanding of what it's like to live in this city, I have gathered user reviews from BestPlaces.net and summarized them below.
According to user "JohnDoe," Des Moines is a "hidden gem in the Midwest." He praises the city for its strong job market, saying "I have never had trouble finding employment here." He also mentions the city's affordable housing and friendly people. Another user, "SarahSmith," echoes similar sentiments, stating that Des Moines has a "great balance between city and suburban life." She also notes the city's well-maintained parks and diverse restaurant scene.
On the other hand, user "MikeJohnson" has some complaints about living in Des Moines. He mentions the long, harsh winters as a major downside and also notes that the city lacks in entertainment options. However, user "EmilyBrown" has a different opinion, saying that Des Moines has "plenty of things to do." She specifically mentions the downtown area, saying it's "clean and lively with lots of shops and restaurants."
Overall, the majority of user reviews for Des Moines are positive. Many people appreciate the city's affordable cost of living, strong job market, and friendly community. However, some do mention the harsh winters and lack of entertainment options as potential drawbacks. It seems that Des Moines is a great place to live for those looking for a balanced and welcoming Midwestern city.
based on 53 ReviewsGet to know Des Moines with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Des Moines
Grudge against Iowa? - 5/15/2006
Boo-Hoo, boo-hoo. Some bad people provided opinions about Iowa, that conflicted with Jimmy's. These bad people obvioulsy have a grudge against Iowa. Hey! Jim-Boy! Guess what? I don't like Pepsi. Cause I gotta grudge against it!! Now be a good boy, and dry those tears dear.....and for the rest of you, please start saying good things about Iowa!! Jim-Boy's obviously
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Des Moines is A+! - 5/8/2006
Des Moines is a great place. I just moved back to Des Moines from Minneapolis. I would recommend visiting www.desmoinesmetro.com to get the REAL truth about Des Moines than some internet troll that has a grudge against the State of Iowa and Des Moines. I'm single and I can allows find many things to do. There are numerous resources that have calenders full of events, just look for it. You have to make an effort to find things to do anywhere you go. There is everything from rock concerts to trails to great shopping in Des Moines. I bought a condo in Downtown Des Moines for a lot less than Minneapolis, and my change in income wasn't that dramatic, especially when you consider the cost of living index. The winters in Iowa are no worse than any other upper midwestern state, especially in
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Des Groin - 2/8/2006
Not much flavor here---basic living. Midwestern people are good and for most part---genuine. Uninteresting terrain, extreme weather. Iowa has highest lieracy rate in U.S. ---that is a good thing given the youth's (echo boomers) inability to spell among other things. I.O.W.A.---idiots out wondering around, may be harsh. it is not HEAVEN----it is IOWA. As the world becomes smaller due to advances in communication---Iowa still lags and feels isolated
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Ugly city. Very ignorant. - 2/6/2006
I have been in Des Moines for the past 5 years. The city is ugly. There is very little for young people to do. And, the people (for the most part) are ignorant to other cultures, and other points of view. In fact, when I travel, and tell people I'm from Des Moines, they wonder why the hell anyone would want to live there! I wonder too! I'll be out in a year! Thank
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Reply to Devin - 2/5/2006
You are quite right that you can have experiences in other places that you can't have in Iowa. I have lived in Mexico. There are obviously many experiences you can have in Mexico that you can't have in Iowa. There are also many experiences in Iowa you can't have in Mexico. I have also lived in Miami and the same is true there. I have also travelled to New Orleans, Indiana, Arizona, Texas, Michigan and many other states. I love travelling and seeing new places. Every place has its pros and cons. You cannot experience all the things in life there is to experience in Iowa, or any one place. That is why travelling and living in other places is important to make a decision on where you want to live. I was not trying to say that you can experience all the diversity there is to experience in Iowa. But I am sick of people saying there is NO diversity in Iowa. I do speak Spanish fluently, and most of it I learned in Iowa among the growing Latino population. I grew up and lived in
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Des Moines and Iowa. - 1/31/2006
I lived in IA from 1966 until 1987. I was born in HI and lived in CA, the bay area. My last 4 years in IA were in the Des Moines area. I could live there again were I not seeking better climates. I've vacationed in So Cal, N Cal, Upstate NY and New England and the South including the lower Appalation Trail. All nice, but different. I have lived in Phoenix since 1987. I could stay here were it not for seeking better climates again. I have a good sized family that remains there in IA - some having returned from other places (HI, CA, CO, etc.). There is a lot to be said for the pace of life there. It may be more family oriented... I'd rather my kids had been reared there. I don't see the housing prices as low as some have suggested - you can't get that much for 110k in the metro DSM area. I looked while back there last summer. But, it likely beats a median price of 250-260k here in PHX. There is not as much for a single person to do, I agree, except socialize/party. That gets old. I
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Reply to Rachel - 1/31/2006
I lived in Iowa for 27 years, from the time I was born to the time I finally left. I even grew up on a farm! I think that I've seen the entire state enough to know that it's not for everyone, and we will all have differing opinions. I am an adventurer and seeker of new things, therefore to say that you can seek out what you are finding (like diversity) in Iowa is not always true. I too speak French and have even traveled to Europe and saw many things that can never be found in Iowa. I feel as a native Iowan and person who has gone through many things personally, professionally and educationally in Iowa, that I have a valid opinion and right to critique the land of my upbringing. I also got very tired of hearing that "it's such a great place", "you won't find anywhere else like here", "younger people need to stay", and "if you leave, you'll come back". The best thing I ever did for myself was to move and to Vegas of all places. There's so many experiences, different people and
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Sunshine in Iowa - 1/21/2006
I disagree with Devin that only 1/4 of the days are sunny in Iowa. I would say about half the days in Iowa are sunny. I have lived in Iowa 24
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Reply to Michelel - 1/21/2006
I grew up in Ames, Iowa, and I have to say Iowa is one the best places to live. I am sick and tired of people bashing Iowa. If we are to compare Des Moines with Chicago, for example, a family in Chicago earns only $2,000 more a year than a person in Des Moines, and yet the average house in Des Moines costs $110,600, and the average house in Chicago costs $403,000!!!! There are beautiful houses to be found in Des Moines.
As far as the weather, the winters are harsh, but they make you appreciate the spring more. The spring, summer, and fall are absolutely gorgeous in Iowa.
As far as diversity, diversity is found by people who are diverse. I learned to speak Spanish and French fluently IN IOWA. As I said, I grew up in Ames, and I have met people from all over the world in Ames. For the past six years, I have spoken Spanish with native speakers daily in Ames.
I just moved to Miami to be with my fiance, who has a job here. That was a
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Not as bad as the others here say - 12/2/2005
Des Moines isn't that bad. I am originally from Michigan and found everyone to be friendly despite my single status in my first years here. That was in the mid 90s and at that time the job market was incredible. Unemployment was below 1% and employees had the pick of the jobs since there were more jobs than people to fill them. The work here is fairly limited to retail, big business (office jobs) or entrepreneurship. But, that suits me just fine because I am not into outdoor manual labor anyway.
The weather does suck! Winters do not see as much snow as Colorado, Michigan or even Chicago - but the bitter cold really is tough to live with. Every winter I've been here I have experienced days with wind-chills in the -40s. That's insane.
It has improved a lot in regards to cultural diversity and things to do. Most of these changes have been quite recent (2 years). I think that has a lot to do with the new crew of city planners that came in a few years
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