2017 Best Places to Live in IowaAbout this List

Ames

• Town in Iowa
• 221

Current Resident: I am a student at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Ames is a fantastic city that suits people of all ages and al life stages, despite its being known as a college town. It is a safe environment for students to learn, parents to raise kids, and the elderly to settle down. It's easy to get yourself involved in community or religious activities as there are select activities to choose from during all seasons of the year. Ames has a wide variety of stores to meet all of your living needs, and if you want to go out and have a good time after Iowa State wins a crazy basketball game, there are so many restaurant choices. I promise you won't go hungry! Ames has gorgeous trails to explore in the summer and fall, and winters aren't so bad since there is an ice skating rink for perfect romantic dates with your significant other. Although I chose to live here for the sake of my education, I wouldn't hesitate to pursue a career and raise a family after graduation in this lovely city!
Read 221 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 62,815 Population

West Des Moines

• Town in Iowa
• 76

Current Resident: I love Des Moines. West Des Moines especially. It's a very nice town and it's filled with family oriented neighborhoods. The area is very nice and has many beautiful houses. There are many places to shop for anything. It is a very safe town, very trustworthy. There are many job opportunities throughout the town. The biggest attraction of West Des Moines is the Jordan Creek Mall. It is pretty diverse around this town and does sometimes have one predominant race in some neighborhoods. There are many three to four lane roads that make commute time a little easier so traffic doesn't get clogged up.
Read 76 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 61,266 Population

Mount Vernon

• Town in Iowa
• 11

Niche User: I love living in Iowa! I have never really liked big cities, so being in a small town in the middle of nowhere is perfect!
Read 11 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 4,523 Population

Clive

• Suburb of Des Moines, IA
• 31

Current Resident: Very nice city. Quiet with great schools, neighborhoods, and quick easy access to other suburbs around the greater Des Moines area.
Read 31 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 16,634 Population

Johnston

• Suburb of Des Moines, IA
• 16

Current Resident: We love the small-town feel of Johnston, while appreciating all the benefits and services it offers. We walk to the post office, bank, grocery store, and (a longer walk) to the library. There are great parks and lots of casual dining options close by. The schools are among the top in the state, and we have a new fire/police department. My only concern is the number of apartments going in right now - although I suppose that may be a positive for some folks looking to move in.
Read 16 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 19,550 Population

Coralville

• Town in Iowa
• 29

Niche User: This area is complete with events for both the college population and family population. This area is very safe in terms of crime and protection. I like having the major University and Hospital around as they provide great health care and events for the public. Even though this is next to a college town your still far away from it from the parties and college kids.
Read 29 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 20,038 Population

Bettendorf

• Town in Iowa
• 45

Current Resident: I've lived in the QCA including Bettendorf for almost 15 years and out of the 4 major 'quad' cities, Bettendorf is the best in almost every aspect. The only down fall is that costs of living isn't cheap compared to the other 3 cities. Aside from prices of housing and other costs of living it is an awesome place to live, grow and prosper! They have great community events, a family museum that keeps it's exhibits fresh, a library that is state of the art, a couple art galleries, a ton of good places to eat, movie theaters and other night life places for adults and college students. Plus they have one of the largest community college campuses in the Midwest! From any age, Bettendorf is a great place to grow up, go to school, have a career and have a great family!
Read 45 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 34,663 Population

University Heights

• Town in Iowa

• A+

• A

• 1,222 Population

Iowa City

• Town in Iowa
• 196

Current Resident: I have had a phenomenal experience in Iowa City over the past 4 years. Raised in Chicago, standards were high, and leaving the big city prepared me to expect nothing but corn fields and campus. Arriving in "the I.C.", I saw much more than just a campus. Its absolutely beautiful, with many shops, restaurants, and a lovely surrounding neighborhood. Not only upon arrival did it already have these attributes, but since then it has not stopped it's exponential rate of development! Its constant, and spectacular work is being done to the city and buildings. Renovation and construction have made Iowa City even more substantial. Apart from it's structural aspects, the neighborly vibe motivates a student on campus, like myself, to reflect the positivity back on a daily basis. I've never felt so welcomed by strangers in my entire life, and am not surprised by Iowa being credited for having the 'nicest' population. I've fallen in love with Iowa City, and will miss it when I return to Chicago.
Read 196 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 71,832 Population

Ankeny

• Suburb of Des Moines, IA
• 93

Niche User: Ankeny overall is a great town! I moved to Ankeny, IA from Berwyn, IL which is a town about fifteen minutes from Chicago. Berwyn is not the best town, it's home for a lot of ethnic and racial minorities and the education system was decent. The elementary school were proficient and had good success with student learning however going into the middle school and high school level, it started to decline. The high school there had been suffering with overall student achievement for a while.I have not been to Berwyn in two years, so I cannot speak for it now, but I speak for the fifteen or so years I was there. Moving to Ankeny was a big change for me, it's a small town which is rapidly growing and just in the two years I've been here they've expanded a whole lot! There is a new high school, Ankeny Centennial High School, which was built the just before I moved and another high school, Ankeny High School, that was built three years before that one. The education is excellent and they have provided the learning resources for their students to excel. With that being said, this has caused many new families to move into the area, as the education system is one of the best in Iowa. Many new homes and shops are being built to match up to the incoming population. Ankeny, overall, is a great town for new families or couples looking to raise a family. The town is very welcoming and family oriented and all round a great place to live!
Read 93 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 51,489 Population

Waukee

• Suburb of Des Moines, IA
• 11

Current Resident: What I like about the city of Waukee is that everyone is connected in someway. Also, Waukee has been recently named as the number one school in Iowa. Waukee is very safe and has a lot of resources available. Sports and performing arts in Waukee are also very successful, as we have gone to state several times, and have won many awards. Academic wise, our grades, scores, and overall outcome is greater than the state's. Overall, the city of Waukee contains talent in sports, performing arts, and academics, the area is very safe, and this community is extremely family friendly.
Read 11 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 16,956 Population

North Liberty

• Town in Iowa
• 32

Current Resident: North Liberty is an affordable and beautiful place to live in. There are parks and hiking trails that will keep you motivated and healthy. There are restaurants all over the place with great food and variability. The cost of living is as cheap as it gets and for what you get, it is way worth your money. The amount of care they have for the children and their needs are extreme. I came here for college with my fiance', but ended up falling in love with this area. North Liberty is definitely a place to consider when starting adulthood.
Read 32 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 14,972 Population

Urbandale

• Suburb of Des Moines, IA
• 76

Current Resident: Urbandale is a perfect suburb community in which one can raise a family. With much less crime than the city of Des Moines that it shadows to the northwest, one can truly feel safe and secure. Whenever the rare tragedy does strike (as was the case when two of our police officers were shot), the community comes together as one 40,000 member family. I have lived in Urbandale my whole life and have found plenty to offer, little to curb my development, and now I plan to come back after college if I can find a job in the area.
Read 76 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 42,099 Population

Robins

• Town in Iowa
• 1

Current Resident: I am a senior in high school that has lived in Robins most of their life. It is a quite town, right next to the larger cities of Cedar Rapids and Marion. It's a mostly residential town, with only a couple small businesses, such as a bank and a restaurant. Overall, it's a wonderful place to grow up, with access to both the Linn-Mar and Cedar Rapids school districts.
Read 1 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 3,357 Population

Grimes

• Suburb of Des Moines, IA
• 44

Former Resident: I have grown up in the town of Grimes as I attended Dallas Center Grimes High School and I have always thought highly of this town. It is smaller and such a tight knit community. If someone needs something the community comes together to do their best to help out where they are needed. The school district is also amazing. The education you receive while at DC-G is outstanding. Overall Grimes is a great place to raise a family and build a life.
Read 44 Reviews

• A

• A

• 9,509 Population

Cedar Falls

• Town in Iowa
• 77

Current Resident: I love Cedar Falls! It is a beautiful place to live. I am going to college in Cedar Falls and I have nothing but good things to say! I always feel safe around campus and around town. I also feel that it is a very inclusive place to live. I enjoy interacting with the residents from all over the city. It only takes a few minutes to get where your going and traffic is pretty much a rarity. I couldn't have asked for a better community to live in!
Read 77 Reviews

• A

• A

• 40,439 Population

Orange City

• Town in Iowa
• 15

Current Resident: Orange City is a small town of 6,000 in Northwest Iowa. Don't let that number fool you, though. Orange City has a public elementary and high school, a private elementary and high school, private college, hospital, two retirement homes, fifteen churches and many more. It is bustling with activity, and Dutch heritage. We have the Tulip Festival on the third weekend in May; which showcases Dutch costumes, floats, foods, and many more! The whole town gets involved with putting on the Tulip Festival, and thousands of people from all over the world come to watch our Dutch kids scrub streets, dance, and ride floats. Orange City has been my home all my life, and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. The sense of community and love that emits from this town is unbelievable.
Read 15 Reviews

• A

• A

• 6,147 Population

Le Claire

• Town in Iowa

• A

• A+

• 3,888 Population

Decorah

• Town in Iowa
• 32

Current Resident: Beautiful town, with rich history and friendly people. A very close knit strong community. The academics are outstanding as well as the extracurricular activities, the community is very active within the school. Deborah students strive to help the community in every way possible.
Read 32 Reviews

• A

• A+

• 8,009 Population

Gilbert

• Town in Iowa
• 2

• A

• A+

• 1,237 Population

Waverly

• Town in Iowa
• 26

Current Resident: Since I moved to Waverly, IA in May 2016, I have loved every minute of it. The town has felt very safe from the day I moved there. Everyone has been extremely friendly, helpful, and polite in so many ways. When I first moved there, I didn't know my way around, but I am a very sociable person, so I wasn't afraid to go up to someone and ask for directions. Everyone I went to was very polite and offered me help in some way. To me, that is great hospitality and one of the huge reasons why I love living there. It has both a small town feel, but also has the luxuries of a bigger town, such as three different grocery-type stores, restaurants, and much more. Overall, it has been wonderful living there for the past year.
Read 26 Reviews

• A

• A

• 10,013 Population

Windsor Heights

• Suburb of Des Moines, IA
• 6

Niche User: I feel very safe, there is a police dept close by
Read 6 Reviews

• A

• A-

• 4,888 Population

Marion

• Town in Iowa
• 85

Current Resident: Marion, IA feels like a small town, but is the home to 34,768 residents. Opportunities are available for shopping, bakeries, fine dining, family restaurants or eating on the go. Marion’s charm is equipped with a few antique stores and local barber shops. Families enjoy outings at the pool and public library. Children and teens are invited for activities and crafts. Adults can visit with authors and speakers during events. Marion is home to 15 parks, nature trails and splash pads for your whole family to enjoy. Every week in the summer you can find music events or festivals at the town square. Marion is home to a local airport which offers plane rides to children once a year. The neighborhood is a low crime area with volunteer crime watchers in the vicinity. It is a town that you feel safe and comfortable letting your children play without fear. Whether you are looking for a safe environment or prefer the relaxing atmosphere of retirement, Marion is a wonderful place to call home.
Read 85 Reviews

• A

• A

• 36,311 Population

Pleasant Hill

• Suburb of Des Moines, IA
• 27

Niche User: In the last several years we have had only minor issues with crime in the area, and typically it is a speeding situation that happens to have occurred near our residence. The most activity that we have tends to be at the assistted living home down the road.
Read 27 Reviews

• A

• B+

• 9,099 Population

Hiawatha

• Town in Iowa
• 6

Niche User: I really like how much of a community Hiawatha and Cedar Rapids is. After the flood happened in 2008, the city was devastated. As of this year, the community has really revived the city of Cedar Rapids and the surrounding area. Now, the city is a fun place to live with lots of up and coming restaurants, shops, and new neighborhoods to explore. The only downside to the city is there are some people moving from the Chicago area and bringing gang activity to the city.
Read 6 Reviews

• A

• A

• 7,150 Population