The Des Moines metro area includes the thriving city and a number of beautiful suburbs. If you’re thinking of building a home soon and looking for the perfect location, consider settling in Des Moines! Here are five great reasons.
This article belongs to the Construction Process Series
Job Opportunity
The economy in Des Moines is stable and allows for new job opportunities for both skilled and unskilled workers. In 2015, Forbes published the results of a study of the best cities to relocate to when looking for a job. Des Moines came in second, right after Seattle. Top employers within the city include the state government, Principal Financial Group, UnityPoint Health, Wells Fargo, Hy-Vee, DuPont Pioneer, and Mercy Medical Center. Forbes also listed Des Moines as the “best place for business and careers,” with business costs below the national average and a widely educated workforce.
A Young and Thriving Community
The 2010 census indicated that about 40.3% of the population consists of people between the ages of 18 and 45. By most standards, this is a young and thriving population that would lead to competitiveness, which ultimately can translate to rapid economic growth. In 2011, Forbes ranked Des Moines as the best city for young professionals.
Manageable Cost of Living
The cost of living in Des Moines is relatively low when compared to the rest of the country. The cost of housing in the city is the one of the lowest in the US while the highest costs are for transportation. In 2016, U.S. News and World Report noted that the average annual salary of a resident in the area is about $47,000 while the average monthly rent is $802—just 20% of average income.
Lifestyle and Entertainment
The city of Des Moines is filled with art, culture, and history that can be seen in the museums, art centers, historical societies, and theaters throughout the city. Entertainment attractions include annual festivals, including the Des Moines Arts Festival, the Iowa State Fair, the 80/35 Festival, and the World Food and Music Festival, to name a few. Other attractions include the Des Moines Social Club, which brings classes, concerts, theater, and more to the downtown scene, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, the Science Center of Iowa, the Des Moines Art Center, and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.
If you’re into running, Dam to Dam and the Des Moines Marathon take place every year, along with various 5ks and the Living History Farms Off-Road Race. Des Moines also has a lively nightlife scene and plenty of fun activities for the whole family, including winter ice skating and other events year round at Brenton Plaza and Iowa Cubs minor league baseball games in the summer. Dozens of local restaurants, coffee shops, and cafes fill the streets as well, with something for everyone’s palette.
Strong Education System
The Des Moines area includes several outstanding schools. Movoto named West Des Moines one of its to 10 small cities for education, and nearby Waukee is home to several top-quality public schools, with Waukee Senior High School boasting a 98% graduation rate (compared to around 83% nationwide). Des Moines’ local post-high school educational options include are Drake University, Grand View University, and Mercy College of Health Sciences, Des Moines Area Community College, and more. Students looking for a state university in Iowa can easily access the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa State University in Ames, or University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.
Des Moines is an attractive place to settle down for these reasons and many more. If you want to move to the area and build the home of your dreams, we would love to help. Homes by Brill is a custom home builder who will work with you from concept to completion, staying by your side throughout the entire process. We can even help you find land and financing! Whether you want to live in the suburbs or in the city, you can schedule a consultation with us. We look forward to meeting you!
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Image by JoshWest.com (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
