Des Moines Wins "Bests"
It's not surprising that about 90 percent of Grand View graduates stay in the Des Moines area each year. Here are some of the reasons:
Second-Best City for Jobs
What are the best cities for jobs in the U.S.? Washington D.C. and Des Moines, according to Forbes magazine. Andrea Hauer, Des Moines economic development coordinator, said the Forbes list, released February 27, 2012, is particularly important because the ranked cities included Boston and New York.
According to Forbes, "relatively high household incomes and a low unemployment rate mean [the city] is primed to add good jobs that newcomers can fill. Moody’s Analytics, which compiled all the projections for this survey, estimates Des Moines-area employment will increase by 8.6% or 36,000 jobs to 461,000 by the end of 2016. Unemployment topped out at 6% in the depths of the recession and stands a little below that now, compared with 8.3% nationwide."
Best City for Young Professionals, Business and Careers, Wealth
The ranking continues a recent trend of publications praising Des Moines. Last year, Forbes listed Des Moines as the best place for young professionals and second best for businesses and careers. U.S. News & World Report also named it the richest metro in the nation, and Time magazine said it was the top city in the U.S. for home renters in 2011.
Best Place to Raise a Family
In 2007, Forbes named Des Moines as the top place to raise a family, because of education, commuting time, home ownership, household income and other factors.
Best Cities for the Next Decade
Also in 2007, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine put Des Moines no. 7 on the list of "10 Best Cities for the Next Decade."
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