Quality of Life

Ames
Ames area residents really do enjoy the charming atmosphere of a small town with all the amenities of a big city.

Ames ranks...

• Best Places to Launch a Business (CNNMoney.com, 2009)
• Best Places to Raise Your Kids (Business Week, 2009)
• Top 15 Cities for Commuters (US News, 2009)
• Top 5 Places to Live a Stress-Free and Simpler Life (AARP, 2009)
• Third Best College Town (American Institute for Economic Research, 2009)
• Best Small Cities to Startups (BusinessWeek, 2009)
• 100 Best Communities for Young People (America's Promise Alliance, 2008)
• 6th Smartest City in America (Forbes.com, 2008)
• 10 Best Places to Retire Young (CNNMoney.com, 2007)

Recreation in Ames
What’s your pleasure?  A Broadway show, some of the best blues, a little rock n’ roll, country, classical or jazz?  Maybe you want some Big XII sports action.  Ames provides all this and much more.  A great place to learn, Ames is a classic university town, a regional entertainment center, and an All-American City. Take a moment to tour art galleries and antique stores, to stroll through Reiman Gardens, to do a bit of shopping, and to savor the community's diverse culinary delights.  Ames will keep you hopping and our neighbors will also add to your fun:  Boone’s Scenic Valley Railroad, the Iowa Arboretum, the Story City Carousel, and more are all just minutes from Ames.  The Ames area offers something for everyone.

Ames & Story County Attractions
Ada Hayden Heritage Park
Ames Historical Society
Donald and Ruth Furman Outdoor Aquatic Center
Hickory Grove Park
Iowa State University
McFarland Park
Main Street Cultural District
Octagon Center for the Arts
Prairie Moon Winery & Vineyards
Story City Antique Carousel

Boone & Boone County Attractions
Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad
Ledges State Park
Iowa Arboretum
Mamie Doud Eisenhower Birthplace


Iowa
Iowans enjoy something that is hard to find elsewhere:  balance!  The kind of balance experienced when they’re able to meet not only their career objectives, but personal and family goals as well.

What people find when they make Iowa home is a genuinely great place to live, work, play, and raise a family.  They discover a place where neighbors are friendly, commutes are short, and quality public education is a reality.  They realize vibrant shopping and entertainment possibilities and endless recreational opportunities.  Iowa is all this and more.



Iowa Rankings...

• Iowa ranks as the 14th best state to find a job (CareerBuilder.com, 2008).
• Iowa was listed ast the 7th best state for lawsuit climate (Institute for Legal Reform, 2008).
• Iowa ranks as the 2nd most favorable state for the cost of doing business (Milken Institute, 2007).
• Iowa ranks 9th in the nation for number of state parks, recreational areas, and natural areas (Morgan Quinto, 2007).
• Iowa ranks 8th in safest neighborhoods in the U.S. (Morgan Quinto, 2007).
• Iowa has the 3rd highest graduation rate in the U.S. (Morgan Quinto, 2007).
• Iowa is ranked the nation’s 6th most livable state based on 43 factors ranging from median household income to crime rate, and from sunny days to infant mortality rates (Morgan Quinto, 2007).
• Iowa is named the 5th best state to raise a child (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2006).
• Eight metros in Iowa are ranked among the best places in America to start a business or career (Forbes, 2006).
• Iowans enjoy the 8th shortest average commute time (18.4 minutes) among the 50 states (US Census Bureau, 2005).
• Iowans enjoy the 11th lowest housing costs (US Census Bureau, 2005).
• Iowa is ranked 1st in the nation for social health based on 16 social indicators (Fordham Institute, 2003).
• Iowans pay the lowest combined average auto insurance premiums of any state in the nation (National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 2003).
• Iowa’s capital city, Des Moines, is ranked “Hippest City in America” (Fast Company Magazine, 2003).
• Iowa is the 3rd most favorable business liability climate in the nation, including treatment of class action lawsuits, punitive damages, judge impartiality, jury fairness, and other litigation factors (Harris Interactive Survey, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2003).
• Iowa ranks 5th best state for e-commerce (Progressive Policy Institute, 2002).
• Iowa was named the 6th best state for academic research and development dollars expenditures per capita (Milken Institute, 2001).
• There is over 1,000 miles of trail for hiking and biking within Iowa’s state parks and recreation areas (Iowa Department of Transportation).