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A Life of Quality:
Osceola offers
a place where the air is clean and the
people are friendly. Here life's simple pleasures can be enjoyed.
Living in Osceola County can prove to be an affordable
alternative to living in a larger metropolitan area. Here crime and violence are almost
nonexistent, and children are safe in schools that strive for excellence.
Iowa has created a working environment that fosters a high standard of living at an
affordable cost. We place great value on our top-rated schools. With a high school
graduation rate of 88 percent (versus 71 .percent nationally), Iowa ranks among the top
five states. Student ACT and SAT scores again place Iowa in the top five.
Putting down roots costs less here. You can buy a lot of house for the money in Iowa,
especially when compared to either coast and most other metropolitan areas. Housing prices
in Iowa average 23 percent below the Midwest median and 36 percent less than the national
median. Iowa also has the second-lowest auto insurance premiums in the nation. And costs
for medical care and services are among the nation's lowest.
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Cultural life here is strong and diverse. Annually, more than a million people
visit Iowa's museums and art galleries including the Cedar Rapids
Museum of Art, with the world's largest collection of Grant
Wood paintings, and the University of Iowa's Museum of Art,
boasting more than 5,000 works including a notable collection
of African art. Osceola County alone contains
three
museums.
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Iowa's violent crime rate is nearly half the national average. Iowans can enjoy an
evening stroll through tree-shaded neighborhoods and parks with a feeling of safety and
security. Our clean, uncontested cities and towns have less traffic, less noise, and
neighbors who are ... well, neighborly. Easy commuting opens up a wide range of work
opportunities. Drive time for most Iowans averages a mile a minute!
Iowa ranks among the top three states in the overall well-being of its children,
according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual "Kids Count" study, which
charts the health and economic standing of young people across the nation.
Named "Beautiful Land" by Native Americans, Iowa has something for every
taste, concerts, festivals, historical sites, cultural celebrations, scenic vistas... and
a terrain that accommodates nearly every form of recreation, Iowa is far from flat! Iowa's
annual bicycling event RAGBRAI has twice come through Sibley and this summer will be going
through Ashton. Iowa also contains bountiful hunting grounds, teeming streams, groomed
snowmobiling and equestrian trails, nature and hiking trails, excellent boating and
canoeing opportunities ... it's all here within our borders and often within reach in a
matter of minutes.
"Livability can't be bought at any price--but
here, it comes with the territory. Come enjoy our space and pace ... in Iowa."
Data from Iowa: Make the Smart Move booklet, published
through the Iowa Department of Economic Development
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