Have You Visited Some of the Friendliest Towns in Iowa?

Everyone wants to live in a community where people are friendly, resources are vast, and neighborhoods are safe. The website "Only in Your State" always does a phenomenal job at highlighting unique and/or interesting attributes to be found in every corner of every state.

Recently, they put together a list of some of the friendliest towns in Iowa. While Dubuque ultimately didn't make the list, several beautiful Iowa communities did. Here are some from that list that stood out to me:

The Friendliest Town in Iowa is...?:

Number one on Only in Your State's list of friendliest towns in Iowa is Clive, IA, a small community located in central Iowa. Underscoring Clive's friendly and beatific nature is the presence... of a lot of nature, according to Only in Your State:

Clive offers residents a 290-acre green space. Greenbelt Park has 11 miles of trails that stretch the length of the town. Big employers like Wells Fargo and the American Cancer Society employ many people in the area. In fact, Clive residents have some of the highest median incomes in the state.

Clive is also a wealthy town, with a median household income of over $54,000.

A Town With a Lot of History Comes in at #2:

The small town of Eldora, IA placed second on this list, and Only in Your State noted the presence of many buildings in the town are listed on the National Historic Register:

With a population of less than 2700, this small Iowa community is one of the most beautiful. Many downtown buildings are on the National Historic Register. Ahoy Fountain offers old-time malts to help add to this town's old-time vibe.

I stumbled upon a wonderful little YouTube video (posted above) that gives you a nice little walking tour of Eldora. Even the town's website has several photos of the beautiful green spaces, ponds, and other eye-catching sights present in the area.

A Goliath Makes the List:

I can't be the only one who thinks of Toppling Goliath beer whenever I hear "Decorah, IA." I've never been there, but I've been a fan of Toppling Goliath beer ever since I tried it several years ago. There's reason to suggest that Toppling Goliath helped put Decorah on the map, at least for the Midwest.

Beyond the delicious beer, the northeastern locale offers a ton of food and hotspot options for people looking to explore, according to Only in Your State.

Situated in the northeastern corner of the state, this small town is full of outdoor-loving foodies. The second largest seed bank in the world (Seed Savers Exchange Heritage Farm) is just outside of town. Oneota Community Food Coop, Dunnings Spring Park, Trout Run Trail, and Toppling Goliath Brewing Company are just a few things to do in Decorah that lure people in.

View other towns that were billed as the friendliest in Iowa on Only in Your State's website!