Iowa Named Among America’s Most Boring States, But We Respectfully Disagree

Not every state is considered exciting. We get it. However, Iowa has a lot going for it, which is why we were surprised and disappointed to see it so high on the "boring" list.

AreaVibes used a variety of factors, including U.S. Census data to measure the excitement in each state. Here are the four criteria:

• % of Population Over 65 (higher is more boring)
• % of Households With Kids (higher is more boring)
• % of Married Households (higher is more boring)
• Population density

The measurements above didn't bode well for Iowa. Iowa's population is just 3.1 million, making it the country's 15th lowest as far as density of population is concerned. The percentage of Iowa's married households sits at 52 percent, honestly a little lower than I expected. Finally, Iowa's population over age 65 is 15 percent. I also would've guessed that number to be higher. It's pretty clear the population and population density are the main detractors for Iowa, as far as "excitement" is concerned. Here's why we respectfully disagree.

• Space is one of the things that makes Iowa so great. We love that we're not trying to live on top of one another.
• Lack of traffic woes. That's not the kind of excitement we need. Being able to get from point A to point B quickly is a great thing. It also allows us more time with family or friends and to experience Iowa, a truly beautiful state.
• You can easily get away. A short trip in any direction gets you out of the city and into rural Iowa. The view is almost always breathtaking, the air a little clearer, and the stress relief supreme.
• We always hear there's nothing to do, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Cedar Rapids, for instance, has community theater, more than 20 movie screens, several live music venues, wonderful restaurants, a great downtown life. We could go on.

Here's the five most boring states, according to AreaVibes:

5. Arkansas
4. Iowa
3. Kansas
2. Utah
1. Idaho (The state we're often mistaken for. This time, we're both lucky enough to be in the top five. Lucky us.)

Ok, so they don't believe Iowa is exciting, but Iowa IS among the best states to live in. HomeSnacks recently chose Nebraska and Iowa as the top states in all the union to reside. We've got the jobs, the schools, low crime. So we're glad even if some don't consider Iowa an exciting place to live, the Hawkeye state IS recognized as a great place to make a home. We wholeheartedly agree with that.

[via Area Vibes and HomeSnacks]