Iowa is considered one of the best places to raise a family. Their statistics on health, safety and employment are impressive. Iowa is one of the top states for health benefits and safe communities in which to raise a family. Real estate prices are competitive, but not over the top, and most people can afford to purchase a home in Iowa that will suit their needs, whether they want a posh downtown condo in Des Moines, or several acres in the country. Iowa also has a diverse blend of activities for every member of the family. There are cultural events, historical sites, outdoor activities and much more. Iowa provides many great opportunities for adventure and fun. Iowa is also working to have a multicultural population that will allow residents to learn about and appreciate other cultures. The weather in Iowa is a pleasant mix of four distinct seasons, and there are things to do in every part of the year.

While Iowa has traditionally been known as a farming state that produces both corn and soybeans, Iowa also has a rapidly growing non-farm employment base. There are jobs in many fields, including scientific and manufacturing, to name a few. The unemployment rate for Iowa continues to be just less than 5%, which is better than the national average. Iowa has excellent schools. They have many higher education choices for students to further their education.

If you simply want to visit Iowa, there is a lot for every traveler to do. Indoors or outdoors, tame or exciting, there is something in Iowa for every type of person. Iowa has a rich historical history that you can explore throughout the state. Iowa is bordered by the Mississippi River, and has locales and activities all along the shores. Iowa is also rich in camping, hiking, boating and fishing. An outdoor enthusiast would love all Iowa has to offer. For the more sophisticated palate, there are cultural activities like theater, opera, and art galleries. There are fine dining establishments and lodging to fit every budget. So if you think Iowa might be the place for you, take the time to find out more.

Iowa City homes for sale are situated on land with an intriguing history that stretches back to the 17th Century. In the earliest years, Siouan and Algonquian Indians saw the land as a place of many resources: they trapped fur animals, mined lead and lived near the Iowa River. Naturally, any area near a body of water is going to experience a good amount of trade from nearby neighbors and faraway travelers. In June 1673, Louis Joliet and his expedition camped for eight days along the Iowa shoreline and were shocked to find nearly 300 summer lodges with clearly laid out streets. Just North of Iowa City homes, excavations revealed blue glass, beads, iron knives, gun parts, pottery, pipestone and brass kettles, which indicate that these early Indians came into contact with Europeans and traded.

Early 19th Century inhabitants of Iowa City homes worked in the mines, gathering lead, which became a huge enterprise for more than 22 years. An hour ½ North of Iowa City had ethnically diverse communities, including both Frenchmen and Indians, who had cultivated fields, a wharf, a mill, a smelting furnace, farms and a blacksmith shop. Following the death of lead monopolist Julien Dubuque in 1810, St. Louis land speculators rushed in to lay claims on his mines. Local Meskwaki tribes burned all Dubuque’s buildings to maintain tribal sovereignty in the region. Current residents of Iowa City homes can drive to Dubuque to see a Gothic Revival monument of the entrepreneur.

Years after the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, in June 1833, the Black Hawk Purchase treaty began to push Indian settlements westward. Six years later, the local Iowa legislature decided it wanted Iowa City as the government seat, so they set to work carving their spot out of native prairie land – even though Iowa wasn’t even an official state until 1846. The “Old Capitol” National Historic Landmark is still standing downtown. The first governor of the Iowa Territory was an Ohioan named Robert Lucas. Plum Grove, the Carroll Street farm where Lucas lived, is one of the oldest Iowa City homes still standing today. Residents of Iowa City homes lived near mills, brick kilns, stone quarries, lumber factories and other industries. In addition to having a solid foundation of working families, Iowa City homes became a haven for immigrants from Germany, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Great Britain who were seeking reform, land and religious tolerance.