Worst city in Iowa?

WhatchaGonnaDo

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Jun 28, 2011
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For a while, Grinnell has had some dumpy areas. Like time stoppped in the 1950s.
In all the times I've been in there, I've always thought it was a whole lot nicer than any other town of its size. It actually has a nice main street/downtown area. The college adds a real charm that other towns like it don't have.
 

mramseyISU

Well-Known Member
Nov 8, 2006
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Waterloo, IA
I hate these threads, because there are professionals actively working (and devoting their lives) to improve the situations in these cities/towns, only to be undermined by dumb twitter polls, memes like this, and summer radio segments on "crap towns" on local radio.
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AuH2O

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Sep 7, 2013
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I hate these threads, because there are professionals actively working (and devoting their lives) to improve the situations in these cities/towns, only to be undermined by dumb twitter polls, memes like this, and summer radio segments on "crap towns" on local radio.
True - it's a hell of an uphill battle in some communities based on factors beyond the citizens and city officials' control.

I love these threads only because I find it a very interesting topic. I love taking random routes through the state and going through various Iowa towns to check them out. There are simply some towns in Iowa that are not in good shape, and probably aren't coming back. It is sad to see, but there's not much people can do in a lot of instances.
 

ISUTex

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May 25, 2012
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Rural U.S.A.
I've got to put Indianola on the list. They don't even have a Chic-fil-A. I mean, come on. And that courthouse.. Yikes.
 
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awd4cy

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2010
26,334
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Central Iowa
In all the times I've been in there, I've always thought it was a whole lot nicer than any other town of its size. It actually has a nice main street/downtown area. The college adds a real charm that other towns like it don't have.
Yeah, there’s a rough area of Grinnell, but overall it’s a pretty nice town. Only thing bad about it is it’s close to an hour to go anywhere.
 
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jcyclonee

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2006
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Minneapolis
Has anyone mentioned Independence? **** that town.

Actually, I don’t have an issue with Independence other than a bad experience while hitch hiking to Dubuque from Cedar Falls. A son of a ***** picked me up in Waterloo and dropped me off outside Independence close to the Mental Health Institute. Right next to the sign that said ‘Don’t pick up hitchhikers’.
That sounds like a great start to a slasher flick.
 

Cfinnerty16

Visual Analytics Czar
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Jul 26, 2021
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West Des Moines
I did the Iowa 339, around 6 years ago.
It’s a relay race from the Missouri to the Mississippi, kind of like Ragbrai.

I got to see some pretty cool towns that I didn’t know existed.
Such as Ida grove. I never knew some millionaire there loved castles & remade the town how he wanted lol.


On the other side of the coin, running through Eldora and seeing people have confederate flags hanging outside their house was a bit jarring.
 
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Jer

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Feb 28, 2006
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I hate these threads, because there are professionals actively working (and devoting their lives) to improve the situations in these cities/towns, only to be undermined by dumb twitter polls, memes like this, and summer radio segments on "crap towns" on local radio.
It is a very valid point and I don't disagree at all with the negative feeling it can put on those that are genuinely working hard to improve their cities or the lives of their constituents.
 
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AuH2O

Well-Known Member
Sep 7, 2013
11,228
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In all the times I've been in there, I've always thought it was a whole lot nicer than any other town of its size. It actually has a nice main street/downtown area. The college adds a real charm that other towns like it don't have.
I like Grinnell fairly well also. Haven't spent much time there, but would take the kids camping at Rock Creek nearby and go into town now and then. If Grinnell is a dump, then 90% of Iowa is a dump.

There are definitely some strange callouts on towns being dumpy on here. Relative to the rest of Iowa, I don't know how places like Grinnell or Dubuque could come to mind in discussions of the worst towns in Iowa.

Take a meandering drive and hit as many towns as you can between say Davenport and Des Moines. Grinnell is way better than a vast majority of towns along the way. I guess to each their own. Towns with active old buildings and mainstreets are great to me. Towns that are basically glorified housing developments with businesses in new buildings that you have to drive to are not my cup of tea.

At this point it's tough for me to imagine living in another Iowa town other than Ames. It's a good combo of traditional and interesting with new stuff.
 

1100011CS

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2007
15,829
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Marshalltown
I hate these threads, because there are professionals actively working (and devoting their lives) to improve the situations in these cities/towns, only to be undermined by dumb twitter polls, memes like this, and summer radio segments on "crap towns" on local radio.
Not to mention it always ends up about towns with meat processing plants and/or high immigrant population.
 

SEIOWA CLONE

Well-Known Member
Dec 19, 2018
6,791
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I did the Iowa 339, around 6 years ago.
It’s a relay race from the Missouri to the Mississippi, kind of like Ragbrai.

I got to see some pretty cool towns that I didn’t know existed.
Such as Ida grove. I never knew some millionaire there loved castles & remade the town how he wanted lol.


On the other side of the coin, running through Eldora and seeing people have confederate flags hanging outside their house was a bit jarring.
The Stars and Bars and Trump flags all over rural Iowa. Lot of crap houses, but everyone has an ATV, a small boat and a camper in the yard or driveway, plus a couple junk vehicles. It's the way they roll down here away from the city slickers.