Des Moines, Iowa is America's WEALTHIEST city.
 

Reported on the Today show just now.


Previously reported as the best city to raise a family by Kiplinger.


Any proud Des Moiners on the forum?

Would never guess that!
 

Would never thought that---would have picked New York City, Dallas, Hollywood, Chicago, Miami----to just name a few. Of course, large cities also have a lot of poverty too. It's probably "per capita" income or net worth? :coolsmiley:

I know it's cold there----perhaps many are in a warm climate this time of year!

I don't know what the criteria were, but that seems odd to me. I would guess it must refer to net worth and not household income, as places like San Francisco and D.C., have much higher COL and average wages. DSM is a nice clean city and full of people who work in the financial and insurance sector, so probably good savers. I worked there for five years from 2003 to 2008, and stayed in an apartment downtown, while spending weekends at my lake home in Missouri.

Here's a link to the story....

Des Moines, where regular folks can live the rich life - TODAY.com

Link isn't working for me
Edit: now it is working...

Link works, but what it says basically is that the cost of living is quite low.

I grew up a few miles north of DM.

Sitting in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.......air temp right now is -8.

Want to know the wind-chill????..............if not, stop reading:






Wind-chill -22

:coolsmiley::coolsmiley::coolsmiley::coolsmiley:

Really? Will you loan me five bucks?:1rotfl:

I think they were using the term "wealthiest" city, not in terms of money but in terms of the wealth of things the city offers. It just wouldn't make sense that the countries wealthiest city has a cost of living that is 10% below average. I believe San Jose, CA is currently the countries wealthiest metropolitan area.

Social Indicators
Educational Achievement: Marital Status:
(among people 25 years or older) (among people 15 years or older)
Less than 9th grade: 1.3% Never married: 28.3%
9th-12th grade (nongrad): 7.7% Married: 59%
High school graduate: 22.7% Separated: 0.8%
Some college: 23.7% Widowed: 4%
Associate degree: 7.2% Divorced: 8.1%
Bachelors degree: 25.4% Stability/Newcomer Appeal:
Graduate/Professional: 11.9% Same home 5+ years: 47.7%
High school or higher: 91% Social and economic indicators
based on 2000 Census sample data.
Bachelors or higher: 37.4%
Green = Above U.S. Avg Red = Below U.S. Avg
Red bkg. = Above U.S. Avg Green bkg. = Below U.S. Avg
Economic Indicators
Household Income Occupation
<$10,000 3.7% (among employed persons over 16)
$10,000-$14,999 3.8% Mgt./Professional 41.5%
$15,000-$24,999 7.9% Service 11.4%
$25,000-$34,999 12.9% Sales/Office 31.6%
$35,000-$49,999 16.4% Farm/Fishing/Forestry 0.3%
$50,000-$74,999 18.8% Construction/Extraction/Maint. 6.4%
$75,000-$99,999 13.4% Production/Transportation 8.9%
$100,000-$149,999 14.3% Unemployment/Poverty
$150,000-$199,999 4.1% Unemployed 8.3%
$200,000+ 4.7% Below Poverty Line 4.2%
Median Household Income: $
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Race
Hispanic/Latino: 3.7%
White*: 89.5%
Black*: 3.7%
Native American*: 0%
Asian*: 1.5%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander*: 0.1%
Other*: 0.1%
Multiracial*: 1.1%
* Does not include individuals
in this racial group
who identify as Hispanic/Latino.
Age
Male Female Both
% of Males % of All % of Females % of All % of All
0-9 years: 13.3% 6.3% 11.3% 5.9% 12.3%
10-19 years: 13.9% 6.6% 17.1% 9% 15.6%
20-29 years: 17.8% 8.5% 17% 8.9% 17.4%
30-39 years: 13.7% 6.5% 12% 6.3% 12.8%
40-49 years: 14.2% 6.7% 14.2% 7.4% 14.2%
50-59 years: 12.6% 6% 12.8% 6.7% 12.7%
60-69 years: 7.7% 3.7% 7.6% 4% 7.6%
70-79 years: 4.7% 2.2% 5.5% 2.9% 5.1%
80+ years: 2% 1% 2.6% 1.3% 2.3%
All Ages: Male: 47.6% Female: 52.4%
Median Ages: 34 yrs. 33.9 yrs. 33.9 yrs.

The Des Moines article reads like it was written by the Des Moines chamber of commerce.

The Villages developer could make the case that The Villages is Americas wealthiest hometown, based on the following:

1. Variety of affordable housing ranging from under $100,000 to over one million.

2. Number of golf courses.

3. Number of recreation centers and swimming pools etc.

4. Number of restaurants

5. Number of "accomplished" or "notable" residents.

6. Weather conditions.

7. Free entertainment nightly

8. Golf cart transportation system-of-trails.

9. America's Friendliest hometown.

Take THAT Des Moines!!!....:)

TV may not be the wealthiest, but it is arguably, the richest!

Yep, dear hubby called Des Moines Iowa home and even worked at one of those publishing companies mentioned in the article when he was in high school. He left to go in the military and has only been back to visit a few times.

According to The Villages Commercial website, average income in the Villages is 92K annually.

I'd like to know the median income, as that would tell us more.