2025 Compare Cities Rankings:
Des Moines, IA vs Alexandria, VA

#2 Most Secure Places to Live in the U.S. (Large Metro Areas)

#6 The Best Cities to Relocate to in America

#12 America's Migraine Hot Spots

#19 Most Secure Places to Live 2011 (Large Metros)

#20 Most Secure Large Cities in the U.S.

#35 Best Block Party Places

#52 2005 Best Places to Live

#54 Most Comfortable Summer Cities

#67 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Mid-Size Metro Areas)

#88 Most Popular Cities for the Holidays

#93 Drought-Riskiest Cities

#145 Best Green Cities

#1 Best Cities for Teleworking - Extra Large Metro Areas

#1 Most Secure Large Cities in the U.S.

#2 Healthiest Cities

#2 Most Difficult Cities to Navigate

#3 Most Irritation Prone Cities

#3 America's Riskiest Online Cities

#4 The Most (and Least) Gender Imbalanced Cities

#4 Best Cities After Military Service

#4 Best Airports to Make a Connection

#5 Sleep in the City Study

#5 Most Secure Places to Live 2011 (Large Metros)

#5 2005 High Gas Prices

#6 America’s Least Manly Cities

#7 Cities on the Edge of Greatness

#7 Failure To Lunch

#7 Wrinkle Ranking Cities Most at Risk for Skin Damage by 2040

#7 Best States for LGBTQ Rights

#9 Most Secure Places to Live in the U.S. (Large Metro Areas)

#9 Second Annual “America’s Manliest Cities” Rankings

#9 America's Most Playful Cities

#11 Sperlings Skincare Wrinkle Ranking

#12 Most and Least Risky Places for Identity Theft

#14 The Most Single Cities

#15 Most Competitive Private Colleges

#18 Drought-Riskiest Cities

#18 Best and Worst Cities for Sleep

#19 Most Competitive Public Colleges

#20 Best Cities for Board Gamers

#20 Gloomiest Places in America

#22 Most Popular Cities for the Holidays

#23 Best US Cities for Seniors 2011

#25 Best Cities for Seniors 2005

#26 Fiscally Fit Cities Report

#26 2005 Best Places to Live

#26 Sleepless Cities 2011

#29 High Gas Prices - Which Cities are Hit the Hardest?

#29 Most Romantic Cities for Boomers

#31 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Large Metro Areas)

#34 America’s Manliest Sports Cities

#36 Best Baseball Cities

#38 Hypertension Hot Spots

#39 Worst Cities for Respiratory Infections

#40 Best Block Party Places

#42 Americas Manliest Cites 2011

#44 Stressful Cities 2012

#45 America’s Manliest Cities

#45 Most Comfortable Summer Cities

#46 America’s Best (and Worst) Cities for Dating

#50 Most Energetic Cities

#75 America's Migraine Hot Spots

#83 America's Most (and Least) Stressful Cities (100 Largest Metro Areas)

#87 Best Green Cities

Des Moines is a ok and pretty quiet place but as a teen it could be dramatic because Des Moines do have is fair or violents places to avoid in Des Moines would be the  More

This city is violent, there are too many gangs especially on the north  More

Good for the old that like slow pace and cheap buffets. Also good for non-descript mid-westerners that don't like a lot of action. No nightlife or mountains to hike  More

Old Town Alexandria is a charming port city, with lovely historic homes, fun restaurants and sweet shops. Its easy proximity to the hustle and bustle of DC offer  More

Alexandria is different depending on what part of it you are in. There is a huge strata of rich and poor, with a few middle class neighborhoods in between. Old town is  More

The mailing address in this area is Alexandria, or Engleside. Either way, it's SE Fairfax County between Fort Belvoir and Mount Vernon. The neighborhood has been here  More