QUALITY OF LIFE Located near the center of Iowa, the City of Des Moines is the political, economic, and cultural capital of the state. The city is a center of insurance, printing, finance, and retail and wholesale trade as well as industry, providing a diverse economic base. With a population of 438,000, metropolitan Des Moines provides many advantages of both large and small town living. Living conditions for managerial and professional personnel in the Des Moines area are exceptionally favorable. Traffic congestion is minimal. The city and suburbs have a number of highly attractive residential subdivisions offering a wide choice of housing styles. These include historic and established in-city areas, rental apartments and condominiums, and single family developments. Good shopping facilities are readily accessible throughout the metropolitan area and recreational facilities are excellent. Des Moines' outstanding public park system is equipped for virtually every type of outdoor activity. Fishing, boating, and sailing can be enjoyed within a short drive of the city at Saylorville Lake. In addition, metropolitan Des Moines has an exceptionally large selection of golf courses for an area of its size. Des Moines also has major cultural attractions including the Art Center, Center of Science and Industry, historic buildings, and an ultra modern Botanical Center. Broadway plays, classical and popular concerts featuring prominent guest artists highlight the year-round program of events at the Civic Center. Local performing arts organizations include a symphony orchestra, a ballet company, an opera and community theater groups. While Des Moines offers many of the amenities found in a larger metropolitan area, it also retains the advantages of a medium-sized city. Traffic congestion on most streets and highways is minimal compared to many metropolitan areas. Even during rush hour, residents of the outlying sections of the city and the adjacent suburbs can usually drive to or from the downtown district in less than 20 minutes. Likewise, rural and semi-rural living and recreation environments are readily accessible from all areas of the city. Unlike the school systems in many larger cities, Des Moines area public schools have been able to maintain adequate staffing levels and relatively high educational standards. Des Moines has a total of eight hospitals with a combined capacity of 2,700 beds. These institutions provide a full range of short-term and long-term health care services. On a per capita basis, the number of doctors and dentists practicing in the area is above the national average. Des Moines is also a major center of osteopathic care. Listed below are facts, which review the cultural activities in the Des Moines metropolitan area. * When the Des Moines Civic Center was built in 1979, more than $20 million was raised in less than 80 days to pay for construction costs. * More than 220 artists and craftspeople from Iowa and the Midwest exhibit their wares at the Des Moines Art Center's annual Art in the Park celebration. * The Two Rivers Festival is a three-day weekend of spectacular fireworks, international flavor, and good old fashioned fun. Des Moines celebrates the ethnic groups that blend into the city's cosmopolitan image at this multi-cultural event. * Terry Sharer, Curator of Agriculture for the Smithsonian Institution, described Living History Farms, a 600-acre open-air museum, as "the best historical farm in the world". * Salisbury House is a four-story, 42-room castle that replicates a royal Tudor residence. It is fortressed by 10 acres of woodland. Featured at Salisbury House is a priceless art collection and a library of 3500 rare volumes, including a leaf from the Gutenburg Bible. * The Des Moines Art Center is renowned for its 20th Century works, yet also features outstanding work of American and European artists of the last 200 years. * The Botanical Center is a geodesic dome that protects over 15,000 plants ranging from wild flowers to cacti. * The Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, celebrating its Golden Anniversary, regularly fills the halls of the Des Moines Civic Center with traditional and pop tunes. * The Des Moines Metro Summer Opera is nationally recognized for its professionalism and high program quality. * The Ingersoll Dinner Theater features performances of musicals and musical comedies throughout the year. * The Des Moines Community Playhouse is one of the oldest theatrical organizations in the country and presents a variety of shows each year. * The $24.5 million State Historical Building features fascinating historical exhibits, a 250-seat auditorium, a gift shop, public meeting rooms, outdoor terraces, laboratories, and research facilities. EDUCATION An indicator of the quality of the work force is the test scores of college-bound high school students. In both the American College Test (ACT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Iowa graduating seniors rank among the top five states in the nation with the highest average test score. Iowa's average SAT score is approximately 20% higher than the U.S. average. Iowa has long been considered a leader in education, with a very strong public education system. With the exception of parochial schools, there are no private primary and secondary schools in the Des Moines area. The absence of private schools is another indicator of the quality of the public schools. As a further means to promote excellence in schools, Iowa has an open enrollment policy. The competition for students keeps competitive pressures on schools to produce a quality education. A recent study by Expansion Management rated the "Education Quotient" of all major school districts in the nation. Taking into account high school graduation rates, ACT/SAT scores, student-teacher ratios and other data, Iowa rated superbly. A follow-up survey by the Iowa Department of Education, using the same criteria, shows the depth of the state's commitment to education. The data for the metropolitan areas are all averages, including all relevant suburban districts.