Despite Iowa’s general reputation as a very rural state with a surplus of farming land, many who have lived there will tell you that it actually has very nice urban residential areas. If you haven’t been to Iowa before, you probably just imagine its as one big expansive cornfield, but there are actually multiple cities in which you can live with a true taste of an urban, or at least somewhat urban lifestyle. Let’s take a look at Iowa’s largest city and home to the state capital, Des Moines.

Of course, Des Moines shouldn’t be compared to New York City or Los Angeles. Living here, you will not find a vast skyline full of skyscrapers, or an endless web of taxis. However, Des Moines does offer numerous high-rises and low-rises in the downtown Des Moines core. Des Moines offers some of the more charming aspects of an urban downtown area, with plenty of nice condos, walking distance neighborhoods, and an appealing selection of restaurants. Of course, if you are considering moving to Des Moines, you will also have to consider other, less appealing aspects of an urban downtown life, one of which is generally higher crime rates that one would fine in an urban area. Along with this concern, you may want to consider looking into an ADT Security system for the protection of your downtown home.

While there is no reason to be frightened or overly cautious, here is a statistic that should help you to take crime seriously in a downtown area: according to cityrating.com, as of 2009, “the violent crime rate in Des Moines was higher than the violent crime rate in Iowa by 94.22%.” Keep in mind this stat compares the largest city in Iowa to a mostly rural state, so of course there is more crime in a larger metro area than a small rural town. The fact is, while many urban areas offer certain charms, it is also very important to be more careful about safety when you live in an urban area.

An advanced home security system such as those offered by companies like ADT can help you to all but eliminate the concerns of crimes against your home and your family. Of course, you will still need to be careful when you are out and about; however, your home should be about as secure as possible. Whether you simply wish to install a basic home alarm system, or whether you want the works (motion detectors, security cameras, laser trip wires, etc.), a professional security company should be able to help. In the end, despite the many perks of city living, the most important part of any domestic situation is the safety of the people involved… there is no sense in overlooking products that can improve your security.

Posted under Living Downtown, Moving Downtown