Is This Heaven? No, it's Des Moines.

Guest Author: Ashley Hennig

The popular joke, "Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa" loved by all Iowans is back with vengeance!

Working with IT candidates throughout 2009, many of whom have seen firsthand what the recession can do to a career, to a family, and to a city; hs us constantly looking for the silver lining. Well, the end of the year results are out, and it looks like Des Moines can boast more than just a silver lining.

Here are just a few of the accolades Des Moines has received over the past few months:

• MarketWatch ranks Des Moines as the best city for business in the U.S. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/tortoise-wins-race-for-best-us-city-for-business-2009-12-16  
• Woods & Poole Economics forecast Des Moines to create 4,500 new jobs, with the finance and insurance sectors adding more than $100 million to the local economy and contributing to a population growth of 6,200 people this year. http://www.desmoinesmetro.com/newsroom/news/displayArticle.asp?idNewsroomArticle=611&idNewsroomWebsiteSection=1  
• MSN lists Des Moines as one of the 100 metro areas in the nation that have begun to recover from the recession. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33312701/ns/3303539  
• The ACCRA Cost of Living Index reports the living costs in Des Moines are 9% below the national average for the Third Quarter of 2009.     http://www.coli.org/  
• MSN ranks Des Moines as first in the nation for real estate as the "Most Livable Bargain Market". http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=22334217