Des Moines is a “Magnet For Familes”

by Tyler Osby on May 30, 2008

Des Moines, Kiplinger\'s View


It was announced yesterday by Kiplinger in their ‘2008 Best Cities’ issue. Des Moines ranked number 9 in the best cities to live, work and play. They name off the top 10 spots and Des Moines just made the short list.

Are you surprised? I’m not. Des Moines rocks. It’s a great place to raise a family, start a business and grow old!

Here’s our baseball card like stats (per Kiplinger):

Population: 532,425
Population Growth Since 2000: 9.6%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 32.1%
Cost-of-Living Index: 90.6 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $53,384
Income Growth Since 2000: 16.3%

Kiplinger went on to say:

“Des Moines’s friendly, hometown atmosphere, top public schooling and affordable cost of living make it an ideal place to raise a family. But it also has big city amenities, including a growing arts scene with galleries, a symphony orchestra, a ballet and opera, trendy shops and an expanding skyscraper cityscape.”

The full story on Des Moines can be found here. The full list can be found here.

So, who else made the cut? Here’s the top 10:

No. 1: Houston
No. 2: Raleigh
No. 3: Omaha
No. 4: Boise
No. 5: Colorado Springs
No. 6: Austin
No. 7: Fayettville
No. 8: Sacramento
No. 9: Des Moines
No. 10: Provo

What’s next? Well, Forbes already named us #4 in their best cities for business and careers.

So, next time you complain of the humid heat and state fair crowd, remember – people admire us : )

If you’re considering moving to Des Moines and joining the party, don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions. I’d be glad to connect you with any local service provides (Seriously, I always know someone).

Original Photo Kudos.

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