Mason City, IA Reviews

Looking to Relocate to Mason City?? - 1/17/2013
I am from the area originally and have lived several places. I recently moved back from Arizona. I moved back to help with my elderly parents. If I did not have family in the area, I probably would not be living here. There is not a lot to do or places to go, other than go out and eat and watch TV. They have a beautiful golf course so if you are into golf summers are nice, although does get humid some days. If you have no family or a support system of friends, a person can become isolated easily if you are not a joiner. People are friendly, however, not very trusting, esp. to new people. Also, I noticed there are prejudices and people who are quite judgmental here. If you are from the area or know someone, you will do okay here. Good jobs are hard to find, and nice housing is difficult to find, meaning many homes were built in the 50's. I believe income levels are below average for most individuals who live and work here. Sorry for the negative feedback, however, I lived Read More

Hell would be nicer!!! - 6/17/2012
Where to begin?? Murder,arson,abductions,beastialty,gang killings,meth labs,pantie thiefs. High utility bills, no jobs, corrupt police, evil judges, minus 40 below wind chill, 90 plus degrees and high humidity all summer,vandalism, slum lords, religious freaks, back stabbing busy bodies, horrible bland tasteless food, stay away!! Read More

Isolation & Bad Weather - 7/12/2011
Unless you have a tie to Mason City, such as family, don't
even consider this desolate town. The population is declining rapidly
for a reason. You are on an island, so to speak; 2 hours from anywhere.If this is not a lot to you, then maybe this is a great place for you.In the winter, they close the roads. So you are stuck, if you even wanted to venture out in one of the blizzards they have. I was there for about 2 years and could not leave fast enough. Average Jan. temps are colder than Anchorage. There is nothing aesthetically appealing about this area. It is hard to decide what
the worst part of the area is: the extremely high winds year round
(great for the windmills & power generation), the intense persistent
cold, with jackets needing to be worn into June, the May flies persisting into August,the extremely high income & property taxes or the shacks that are like tenement housing on the lake, with asking prices over 750 big ones. The best part Read More

Thoughts on Mason City - 2/25/2010
I lived just north of mason city recently. I'd say the advantages would be lower taxes, utilities, housing and transportation costs compared to surrounding states and areas. You may not have as many job choices as a larger city such as Des Moines, but it still seems to offer more than other areas I've seen. Good freeway access as well as being a regional hub, and low costs make it more attractive. Since most taxes in Iowa are generally cheaper vs MN and IL, I would naturally expect more jobs to exist in this area due to most companies trying to save money. Having clear lake close by, is also a plus. Also make sure to have a home with A/C because the humidity can be very high in the summer Read More

comments - 4/19/2006
I like living in mason city,Ia because the cost of living is low and small town environment plus the crime rate is Read More

general info - 3/28/2006
I grew up in Northern Iowa, and Mason City is the largest city in the area, it has one shopping mall, all of the standard discount retailers and franchise restaurants. It is easy to get around, and there seems to be a lot of available housing, people are generally friendly. I didn't care for the weather - humid in the summer, snowy in the winter - and it has almost no diversity. It's located on I-35 so travel in and out is easy though there is not much around it other than cornfields! Clear Lake is very close, which is great for boating and Read More

What's it like? - 3/24/2006
I'm looking for more info on Mason City. What's it like living there. I want the pros and cons, I've had enough of the stats I can get online. Can anyone who lives there or has lived there tell me about life in Mason Read More

Looking for Info - 3/23/2006
I'm currently in Las Vegas and I'm looking to move. Mason City looks good, but there's not much to find out online other than statistics. What can you tell me - pros and cons about life in Mason City? Any information would be Read More