Iowa

Iowa is a state primarily devoted to agriculture. Though this has downsides, like the political dominance of agribusiness, it also means that there is plenty of local food supply potential and a hard-working, pragmatic ethos. Education is traditionally valued in Iowa. It has ranked among the best states for K-12 public education, though the GOP government is undercutting public education at the moment, and there are 42 cities or towns of over 4000 people that have at least one college. This makes it a good place to raise kids, though if you want your child to experience cultural diversity growing up, your choices of residence will be more limited. The state has many virtues and can be recommended, for those whose personalities suit the local culture, with little or no reservation. Stephen Marche believes that it would join a Red nation after a breakup of the U.S., but I am optimistic that he will be proven wrong.

Most parts of Iowa are pleasant, though if you are a member of a minority group, you’d probably want to live in one of the “big cities.” There are 13 cities of over 40,000 people in Iowa. A few have red flags, but most are in good shape economically and socially and would make excellent homes.

 

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Arkansas

Arkansas is a state of about 3 million people, with over half a million each in the two metropolitan areas of Little Rock and Fayetteville. Both metro areas are reasonable enough in size and cost to be of interest to some migrants who need urban employment. Most of the state has lower population density with affordable housing and plenty of room for more people. Arkansas’ motto is “The Natural State,” and it is well placed for natural resources, with plenty of forests and farmland (Arkansas produces almost half of the nation’s rice crop), as well as a significant steel industry, a developing film industry, and, in places, tourist industry driven by the attractive scenery and varied outdoor recreations.

 

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