From Iowa to Florida
Iowa is located in the middle of the Midwestern US and in the middle of the population and territory lists, Iowa is a surprisingly pleasant place. Considered a more of an agricultural state, Iowa has made the transitions first to heavy industry and then to green tech some time ago.
The name of the state comes from the Ioway people, but its heritage is predominantly French. Even the state flag has the colors of France. But that’s not bad at all, even adds some a pinch of sophistication to everything Iowan.
Two Fortune 500 companies are in the heart of the Iowan economy – Principal Financial Group and Casey’s General Stores, Inc. Other fields of business flourishing in the heart of the Midwest are insurance companies, finance, and different manufacturers, like Heinz, Procter & Gamble, Bridgestone, and Vermeer Company.
In recent years, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, and Facebook have built data-processing and logistical facilities in the Des Moines area.
Slipknot
The biggest impact on Iowan culture was made by Slipknot. Yes, the top metal band was formed in Des Moines in 1995. As a true Iowan patriot, lead singer Corey Taylor formed his side band Stone Sour in Des Moines as well. Other famous artists include novelist Peter Hedges and jazz-man Bix Beiderbecke.
Disadvantages of living in Iowa
– Situated a bit far from most beaches and mountains, nature is one of the major cons of Iowa.
– The winters can be really harsh.
– There are still places with lagging economy and a high crime rate.
– Public transport is not very well developed.
Welcome to Sunny Florida!
Many people all over the globe dream of Florida The state has something for everyone – endless beaches, emerald waters, the non-stop beach parties for the younger, or quite retreats for the older. But this is not all that Florida has to offer. Florida is the 3rd most populous state with a population of 21.5 million. Tallahassee is the state’s capital, but the largest city is Jacksonville. And the largest metro is the Miami metro area.
Miami is located in the center of the state’s largest metropolitan area. It is ranked 7th in the United States and is composed of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, West Palm Beach, Hialeah, Hollywood and Boca Raton.
Economy
Florida is a rich state with a GDP of over $1.0 trillion – the fourth largest in the USA. The sectors with highest employment include trade, transportation, and utilities; government; professional and business services; education and health services; and leisure and hospitality. Many coastal cities include some of the wealthiest per-capita areas in the United States.
The largest employers in the state are Naval Air Station Pensacola, Adventhealth Orlando, and Orlando Health.
Tourism
Florida’s tourism offers a job to more than 1.4 million people and recreation to probably a hundred million. Along with its countless beaches, Florida is home to several high-profile amusement parks like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, waterparks, and golf courses.
Kennedy Space Center
Also known as the NASA Launch Operations Center, it is one of the main launch centers for manned spaceflight. This is the launch site for the Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle programs, next to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Kennedy Space Center has more than 700 facilities and gathers aerospace experts from all over the world!
Sports
As you might expect – entertainment venues are abundant, including sports. The state has three NFL teams, two NBA teams, two MLS teams, and two MLB teams. NASCAR is headquartered in Daytona Beach, and the American Association of Professional Golfers is located in Palm Beach.
Des Moines and Jacksonville head to head
Climate aside, Des Moines has some surprising advantages over Jacksonville. Of course, Florida’s largest city is considerably larger, but Des Moines has a serious advantage in average home price, commute time, and even median age. Also, the median income is almost equal.
Furthermore, groceries, housing, utilities, and transportation are cheaper in Iowa. However, healthcare in the Midwestern state is considerably pricier than in Florida.