"Is this Heaven? No...it's Iowa."

With the Feild of Dreams hype still lingering from last week's game, I found myself thinking about this movie quote, and how fortunate I am to call this state my home. Iowa really is a little slice of heaven. Let's take a look at some of the reasons why!

Low Living Costs

One of the best things about living in Iowa is that the cost of living is around 10% lower than in many other states. Even though cities like Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and our very own Dubuque are a little pricey compared to smaller towns, living costs are still well below the national average.

Low Crime Rate

According to the most recent analysis from 24/7 Wall St, Iowa ranked as the 13th lowest among the 50 states for violent crimes and has consistently maintained a lower crime rate than the majority of states since 1960. With these consistent statistics year after year, it's easy to say Iowa is one of the safest states you can live in.

Urban/Rural

Although Iowa may not be the most well-known state, it's a beautiful place to live and is brimming with wonderful towns, both big and small. Heavy hitters such as Iowa City, Des Moines, Ames, Davenport, and Dubuque always have something to offer to the masses, but often overlooked smaller cities such as Dyersville, Amana, Storm Lake, Decorah, etc also have some truly unique characteristics. There's something special about these small towns that makes you feel right at home.

Location

Iowa is happily nestled in the sweet spot of the midwest. Although Des Moines is our largest city it doesn't compare in size with other big-city destinations. But no worries! If you live in Iowa but want a big-city getaway, you've got options. I live in Dubuque, but love to get out and do some site seeing every now and again. I love that Chicago is only a 3-hour drive away! In the opposite direction, you'll find Minneapolis, just a little over 4 and a half hours drive time from Dubuque. For shorter drive time, however, you can head to Madison, WI which is only an hour and a half drive from home.

Minimal Traffic

I often forget how lucky we are in this department until I take a road trip. I cannot tell you how many times I've gotten behind schedule on planned trips out of state because I completely forgot to account for extra traffic time! This simply is not a problem in our area....unless of course, you find yourself trying to leave an event at the same time as everyone else, like a Hawkeye home game for example. So next time you're road raging, take a moment to be thankful you aren't stuck in a horrendous LA traffic jam!

Seasons

One thing that I truly love about our state is that we get to fully experience all 4 seasons. Step outside in the springtime, and you will be met with beautiful blossoming trees and flowers before transforming in the summer into a brilliant sea of green that seems to reach as far as the eye can see. When autumn arrives, the trees turn a magnificent flaming variety of hues. Then in the wintertime, the entire state looks like a sparkling white wonderland! I know if I lived anywhere else I would miss the seasons, even though I like to complain about the weather in the moment, haha!  After all, winter wouldn't be so cold if it wasn't for the wind, right? (Wink, wink)

Overall, I think it's safe to say that Iowa residents are very fortunate. I'll say it again, "Is this Heaven? No...it's Iowa."

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