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
Oh yes and the climate... - 9/28/2005
Right again Devin...the climate is by far the worst of any place I have ever been. The humidity is terrible and the winters are worse...coming from Chicago that says alot. The most inconsistent weather ever. Freezing one day, humid the next. My body temperature is off drastically. Last year, there was a blizzard in October. Friends visited from Chicago and said they could not believe it and that the snow resembled spikes. Not too mention the DM airport security was doing security body checks due to our heightened alert. Our friends said the airport security was far more strict than O'hare and they could not believe the delay it caused. As if...a terrorist would even want to come to
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Here! Here! To the 1st Comment - 9/28/2005
Devin is so right. We are 40mn N of Des Moines and moved here as a married couple w/o children from downtown Chicago seeking an "American dream kind of life." Worst mistake ever. Do not move to these parts of Iowa w/o children, you will feel isolated, singled-out and treated as if something is wrong for being married and not having children. Furthermore, there is no diversity and job oppurtunities are far and few between. The people here also lack the integrity they portray. Many bible belters here but not really Christian. We purchased a $83,000 home that was not worth $50,000 and it came with many issues that were not disclosed. The realtor knew it and after we purchased it, never saw the realtor again and their office was right up the street. I can assure you not many people breaking the doors down to get to small town Iowa from Chicago. We were suckers. We too temped the entire three years we have been here-Iowans as they are called don't seem to like outsiders- so we aren't
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People - 6/17/2005
Des Moines is not very diverse and cater's to people with children. It's not very single person friendly and has an older population that is resistant to change.
Job opportunities are limited to only a few industries and not are well paying positions. Although the cost of living is lower, it does not compensate for the low wages. I've lived in Des Moines for five years and only had temporary positions due to the lack of variety of industry.
People are fairly judgemental as well to people without children and think there may be something wrong with them. The young professional groups only go out to drink instead of doing community work and bringing diversity and opportunities to others.
The climate is horrible and inconsistent. One day it could be 85 and 90% humidity and the next 65, no humidity. The winters are harsh with terrible winds and a lot of snow. There's only about a fourth of the days a year with sunshine. It's not the place for
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