Classic Iowan Mentality Iowans tend to pride themselves on being practical and down to earth. Common sense and personal responsibility are highly valued. This is mixed with a tremendous openness to new ideas, quick adoption of new technology, and a friendly disposition and willingness to help others. Politically Influential Iowa is the first state in the nation to conduct caucuses to select presidential candidates. Therefore, Iowa voters determine who will be viewed as the front runner or drop out of the race. Presidential hopefuls begin making appearances in the state 2 years before the election. Des Moines, Iowa’s capital and largest city, is just 35 miles from Ames. The greater Des Moines metropolitan area has a population of 655,000 and is the fastest-growing Midwest metro, according to Business Record, 2019. Des Moines is a hub for finance and insurance. It maintained unemployment rates dramatically lower than the national average during the last economic downturn. This is just one reason it was named by Forbes Magazine as the #1 “Best Place for Business and Careers” in 2017. The Effect of Agriculture Agriculture is second to manufacturing in terms of gross domestic product and only a small percentage of Iowans work directly on farms or in Ag related businesses. However, a high percentage of Iowans have spent time on a farm either growing up as a child when smaller family farms were common, or by visiting a farm owned by relatives. The two predominant crops are corn and soybeans.
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