Welcome Iowa Movers!
Home of Star Trek’s Captain Kirk
Welcome to Iowa, the home of Quaker Oats and only state bordered by rivers on its either side! Because it was once owned by France and had a large number of immigrants from other European countries as well, the state is very diverse and its events (like the Decorah’s Nordic Festival) show it. Relocate here and prepare for a variety of unexpected adventures!
Relocating to Iowa - Being a New Iowa Resident
You’re moving to Iowa and are getting specific on where. It’ll likely be one of the largest cities, which are Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Ames, Dubuque, Davenport, Sioux City, Waterloo, West Des Moines, Cedar Falls, Council Bluffs, Ankeny, Mason City, Ottumwa, Burlington, Decorah, Marshalltown, Fort Dodge and Muscatine.
Whichever place you move to, you can have a smooth transition by following the proper steps required by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). We’ve laid out the top priorities for becoming a resident below.
- If you have a license issued from another state in the US, you can convert it to an Iowa license (without having to retake any tests!). Make sure to visit your local DOT to get your new license soon after establishing residency.
- You’ll need insurance for your car from a company licensed to do business in Iowa. Reach out to an Iowa insurance agent, and they will be happy to make sure your getting quotes to give you the lowest prices possible for insurance here.
- Make sure to register your vehicle within 30 days of establishing residency. You can do this at your local DOT.
- There are some incentives for driving an eco-friendly vehicle, so make sure to inquire about this when registering your car!
Iowa Neighorhood Information: Important for Iowa Moving Quotes and Moving Companies
Weather: Nestled in America’s heartland, move to Iowa to experience 4 distinct seasons. Here winters are cold, though the snowfall isn’t too heavy compared to the state’s northern neighbors! Summers are hot and because most rainfall occurs at this time, summers are humid as well. Autumn and spring are the lovely in between times.
When snow is quick to melt or intense rainstorms hit during summer, flooding can occur. Make sure to prepare yourself, your family and your new home for this type of severe weather.
Population & Cost of Living:-At 3.09 million, Iowa’s population is fairly small compared to many other United States. How much do these folks pay to live here? About 11% less than the average American! This is mostly due to the cost of housing, which is nearly 30% lower than most of American cities.
IOWA'S EMPLOYMENT RATE & ECONOMY
Moving here, we presume you have found a job or are looking to obtain one. Well, you have reason to smile because the unemployment rate as Fall 2014 was 4.5%. That is more than 1.5% below the national average.
This state was once truly centered around agriculture, but it has steadily transitioned into more fields such as advanced manufacturing, processing, finance, information technology, biotechnology and green energy production. Food processing is one of the main subdivisions of the manufacturing industry here; Iowa is home to companies like General Mills, Quaker Oats, Wells Blue Bunny and Heinz.
Agriculture is still a huge staple here though. Iowa produced the third most agriculture-related goods in America and puts out one-tenth of all American foods! (The top 2 foods? Corn and soybeans.)
TOP ATTRACTIONS FOR IOWA RESIDENTS
- Stanton, Iowa’s, Home of the World’s Largest Coffee Pot - This town has a water tower that has been painted & had parts added on to make it create one heck of a coffee pot. It has been estimated to be able to hold 800,000 cups of coffee.
- The Villisca Ax Murder House - This spooky spot in Villisca, Iowa is where eight people were murdered back in 1912. The rumor is that an unknown butcher did the slaughtering, however, the case is still officially a mystery.
- Strawberry Point, Iowa - This town is home to the World’s Largest Strawberry. (But don’t attempt to eat...it’s made of fiberglass!)
FUN FACTS ABOUT IOWA
- Winnebago County is here in Iowa; it is the proud maker and manufacturer of campers and motor homes so famously known as “Winnegabo’s”.
- Check out the name itself: Iowa. It’s the only state name to begin with 2 vowels.
- Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines is where rockstar Ozzy Osbourne, in front of thousands of screaming fans, bit the head off of a bat. Yikes!