With a population of just over three million people, Iowa may be small, but it truly does have fields of opportunities. At least, according to a recent U.S. News & World Report that ranked Iowa as the sixth best state in the country.
U.S. News & World Report ranked all 50 states in this report by evaluating everything from a state’s education and healthcare to their infrastructure and economy. Iowa ranked high in nearly every category. Notably, Iowa came in fifth for healthcare access and first for high school graduation rates in the U.S. With this in mind, Iowa is without a doubt, a great place to call home and raise a family.
Not only is Iowa a great place to live, it is also a great place to work. In February, Iowa’s unemployment rate fell to 3.2 percent, its lowest level in more than 15 years. With such a low unemployment rate compared to current national unemployment rate of 4.7 percent, Iowa offers more job and career opportunities than most other states.
Contrary to popular belief, Iowa has more than cornfields. Its’ urban cities are some of its best assets. In fact, U.S. News & World Report also recently ranked the state capital, Des Moines, as the ninth best city to live in in the country. Thanks to its low cost of living and relatively high wages, Des Moines is said to offer a better value than other similarly sized metro areas. It seems the secret is out about all that Iowa and its state capital have to offer, as Des Moines was recently ranked the number one fastest-growing metro in the Midwest.
Clearly, anyone would be lucky to call Iowa home, but veterans especially so. Iowa has consistently been ranked as a top veteran-friendly state. Under the Home Base Iowa Initiative, 47 communities across the state now offer special incentives and resources for veterans and their families. Moving to one of these 47 communities is made more feasible by the $7,500 home down payment assistance available to veterans. Finding a job or pursuing higher education are also made easy for veterans. Over 1,500 businesses have pledged to hire more than 7,500 veterans statewide. Additionally, Certified Higher Academic Military Partners (CHAMPs) guarantee in-state tuition for veterans and their dependents, while also offering on-campus veteran resources. No wonder over 300,000 veterans have decided to call Iowa home, with more moving here all the time.
Harvey T. Rimel American Legion Post 141 