Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa...
In Summer of 2023 after a couple of years of discussing it, Teri and I felt it was time to do what still baffles some folks: We gave up life in Southern Nevada to relocate the family to Central Iowa.
Why did you leave Southern Nevada?
I had been a resident of Henderson, Nevada for about 20 years. During that time I completed my undergraduate education, embarked on an amazing career in Higher Education IT, earned my Masters, made lifelong friends, met Teri, my forever person, and became a father.
While I love the region, the people, my work, and all of the entertainment options, the pandemic changed a lot of variables for my family's life in Southern Nevada:
- My job role morphed from mandatory in-person to a flexible and remote position
- Cost of living increases and Henderson's explosive growth
- Higher rates of regional crime in Southern Nevada
- Uncertainty about the long-term quality of the public school system
What once felt relaxing and quiet became congested and busy. The costs of everything skyrocketed year-over-year too. For example, on average pre-pandemic I was spending between $100 and $400 per month on electricity, with the higher amounts related to the long, scorching summers. Post-pandemic, those energy costs never fell below $300, while surging over $600 in the summer months. Fuel prices and natural gas prices weren't much better either. Food prices were terrible because not a lot is regionally sourced.
The economic stress brought on sharp increases in violent crime, theft, and a byproduct of that shift was that strangers were a little more reserved and a little less neighborly.
In addition, while my daughter was in a great public elementary school at the time of our departure, her school district continued to experience budget cuts, staffing shortages, and continued administrative changes. Medical services in the region were also stressed and backlogged, taking months to be seen and receive treatment.
Why did you move to Iowa of all places?
I have had many journeys and adventures, but life started for me in the Midwest. So, I'm very familiar with the region and knew what I was getting into: Four seasons, real weather, more bugs, etc. Teri also had gone to college in Iowa and resided here for several years prior to her relocating to be closer to family in the Western US.
Teri had been suggesting this relocation for a long time. At first, almost jokingly, but as time passed it started to make a lot of sense:
- More space; less congestion
- Amazing cost of living
- Low crime
- Excellent K-12 public school systems
- Farm fresh groceries
Where did you decide specifically to move to in Iowa?
We chose Central Iowa because of the great mix of quality school districts, proximity to Des Moines Metro (Shopping, Culture, Medical), and interstate access to easily navigate the state and reach surrounding states. We also had existing friends in the area that made great suggestions on suburbs to include in our search.
How have you dealt with being so far away from friends and family?
I tend to process distance differently than most, as I've maintained friendships all over the United States for most of my life. I try to make a point to have regular daily, or at least weekly, contact with those that are closest to me. Holidays are often a great excuse to check on those you haven't heard from in a long time.
What about work?
I was blessed with an employer and leadership team that supports flexible work environments and have been able to continue in my current job role without any major interruptions; however, it does make work-related travel even more important to maintain relationships and engagement.
What's changed most since moving to Iowa?
Lots of things have changed. From more diverse weather to all the animals that visit our backyard (ex: deer, birds, squirrels, etc), it's hard to compare the immense amount of wildlife, water. and greenery to life in the desert.
Midwesterners are a genuine and kind group of folks that are quite inclusive toward new members of their community. I've found my new neighbors to be very welcoming, friendly, and supportive.
The pace of life anywhere can be stressful at times; however, I've found my new home to be peaceful, safe, and in a very supportive community for my family.
What's next?
Well, I don't think folks really know that much about Iowa, so I look forward to chronicling our adventures here in future articles. In addition, I hope we are able to do more regional travel to explore our new home state and some of the surrounding states I've not been able to visit yet.
