Worst city in Iowa?

[deadeyededric]

How do we not talk about Carter Lake? It's landlocked between a lake and an industrial park and will never grow, no downtown business district of its own, all the airport noise, and an area so undesirable that Omaha and CB both tried to force each other to claim it as their own. They are 99% on the outside of Iowa looking in.

I've heard the same thing about its residents.

 

[AuH2O]

There is a Casey's out to east and it has an elevator and seed store. Beautiful little town, built a new high school a few years ago and are starting to build a new elementary building this year I believe. Easy drive to Ames, what 10 minutes from the Ames mall and North Wal Mart. You could live in a lot of worst places than Gilbert.

I know, I’m kind of joking. But I find it to be basically a glorified housing development. And not even an interesting one at that. Just a bunch of ass ugly monuments to vinyl.

The schools are nice. But if I have to drive to do anything it’s hard for me to consider it a town.

 

[Acylum]

This thread seems a little racially.

 

[snowcraig2.0]

Waterloo and Ottumwa are clearly the answers here.

 

[AuH2O]

i had a dream once where i united the autonomous zone of missouri, kentucky, arkansas and illinois. i made cairo my capital. it was awesome

If anyone wants to feel better about their town, they need to take a trip to Cairo, IL. Seems like a post apocalyptic movie set.

 

[AuH2O]

This thread seems a little racially.

I’ll admit, I deleted my post about Story City and those mother ******* Swedes after thinking about it.

 

[Freebird]

The answer is Clinton. By any measurement. And it’s not even close.

 

[arobb]

Keokuk is deep-fried azz, though being from Fort Madison, we're not much better.

Sub-arena elevates Ft. Madison.

 

[Turn2]

Of the places I’ve lived or visited a few times, I don’t think this map got a single state right.

 

[Cyched]

Of the places I’ve lived or visited a few times, I don’t think this map got a single state right.

I haven't lived many places, but Cairo IL and Gary IN seem accurate.

But there are a lot on here that are just weird. Mesa, Provo, Orlando, Edina, Virginia Beach?

I get not wanting to live in those from a personal preference, but I have no clue what the criteria was.

 

[ClonerJams]

I haven't lived many places, but Cairo IL and Gary IN seem accurate.

But there are a lot on here that are just weird. Mesa, Provo, Orlando, Edina, Virginia Beach?

I get not wanting to live in those from a personal preference, but I have no clue what the criteria was.

Cairo is such an interesting story

 

[somecyguy]

I know, I’m kind of joking. But I find it to be basically a glorified housing development. And not even an interesting one at that. Just a bunch of ass ugly monuments to vinyl.

The schools are nice. But if I have to drive to do anything it’s hard for me to consider it a town.

You just described Ankeny.

 

[jcyclonee]

I haven't lived many places, but Cairo IL and Gary IN seem accurate.

But there are a lot on here that are just weird. Mesa, Provo, Orlando, Edina, Virginia Beach?

I get not wanting to live in those from a personal preference, but I have no clue what the criteria was.

Somebody mentioned it may have been the city that the other people in the state hate the most. I'll vouch for Edina being that in Minnesota.

 

[jcyclonee]

A county seat town and/or a college town are. usually pretty nice places to live. Places like Gilbert and Story City are pretty nice but a lot of the focus is on the larger town where people go to work.

Fort Dodge is a county seat and has a large community college.

 

[TBT]

Sub-arena elevates Ft. Madison.
View attachment 127364

I do miss that place heavily. Had an ex that worked there that would make me sandwiches after her shift with soup. I ate very well my senior year.

 

[awd4cy]

I fly in and out of Fresno pretty regularly for work and it's not all that different than any other city it's size. There are good areas and bad areas. If I was going to be hitting up Yosemite and Kings Canyon it's pretty centrally located for doing that. Maybe though you could look at a little town just North East of Fresno I'm just not that familiar with what's going on north of Fresno since I spend all my time around Hanford when I'm there.

All large cities in California seemed pretty bad when I was there. Worst one I saw was definitely Stockton.

 

[pourcyne]

Fort Madison

Whut about the War of 1812 Battlefield Park? That's instructive!

I mean, who knew?

History of Fort Madison | Fort Madison, IA - Official Website

www.fortmadison-ia.com

and Keokuk.

Yes, because the big family restaurant is named after the Squawkeyes.

But no, because yaaaaaar!

Black Sails Pirate Bar | Keokuk IA

Black Sails Pirate Bar, Keokuk, Iowa. 3,796 likes · 28 talking about this · 676 were here. At Black Sails Pirate Bar, Arr cold booze n' spirits will have ya sailin' on the highest of seas.

www.facebook.com

 

[cy4life94]

As someone who was born in Waterloo in the 80's/90's its a dump today(hurts me to say that). Cedar Falls has completely dominated the area and there is numerous reasons why. City of Waterloo can't get out of it's own way. The permitting/zoning policies are so dated that they continue to cripple the city. The mayor is bad, real bad. If the city didn't have a large influx of immigrants especially Bosnians, I'm not sure where it would be.

They do have the best Bosnian restaurant in the state. Seriously, it very good.

Outside of that, Waterloo definitely has some work to do.

 

[hoosman]

I have worked 38 years at Iowa businesses within 1 mile of the Mississippi. Bad towns : Keokuk, Ft Mad (6 yr), Burlington (8 yr), Muscatine (2 yr),Clinton. OK towns : Davenport (15 years) . Good towns : Bettendorf (1 year), Le Claire, Dubuque (6 years), Gutenberg, Bellevue.

 

[awd4cy]

Marshalltown is certainly on the way there. They have badly deteriorated in the past 30 years. Worst town is probably Fort Dodge. Also just feels depressing up there too.