The creator of the largest cheese sculpture ever (925 pound cheddar cheese block!), Sarah Kaufmann, lives in Waukee. She is also known to carve blocks of cheddar in the likenesses of some celebrities including Jay Leno, Katie Couric and Matt Lauer. Now, let's get to know the "Cheese Lady's" hometown!
Waukee is a small city in Iowa which was first given the name Shirley but later on was changed to Waukee, derived from Milwaukee, Wisconsin (a sister city in name, as you may say)
The creator of the largest cheese sculpture ever (925 pound cheddar cheese block!), Sarah Kaufmann, lives in Waukee. She is also known to carve blocks of cheddar in the likenesses of some celebrities including Jay Leno, Katie Couric and Matt Lauer. Now, let's get to know the "Cheese Lady's" hometown!
Waukee is a small city in Iowa which was first given the name Shirley but later on was changed to Waukee, derived from Milwaukee, Wisconsin (a sister city in name, as you may say). Recently the Real Estate Blog Movoto named Waukee the best place in the state of Iowa in January 2014. The 81 cities in Iowa with a population of over 5,000 were ranked based on the following criteria: crime rate, cost of living, unemployment, high school diploma attainment rate as well as home value, rental pricing and median household value. The city was ranked number one not just because the famous MLB player, Hal Manders, is a notable local however, this is based on the city's A+ ranking in education both for being the fastest growing school district in the state and having 95 percent high school diploma attainment rate which also explains the 4.2 percent of unemployment rate.
Waukee is located within the Dallas County and is 14 miles West of Des Moines, Iowa (center to center) and 109 miles east of Omaha, Nebraska. Relatively a 15-45 minute round trip travel to and from the capital city (Des Moines), depending on the mode of transportation. It is located within the Dallas County and a part of the Des Moines metro area with a population of 13,790 based on the 2010 Census. The city has something for everyone and is conveniently near to schools, a zoo, to museums, local recreational parks, large arena or event centers, upscale shopping and dining facilities. The city offers a multitude of recreational activities like hiking and biking that you may enjoy all year round.
Moving to Waukee
Want to be a part of the community? When looking for a possible new home you'll have to take note of the necessary information such as the location of the property and how convenient the place will be for you. One of the most important things to consider is the affordability, as well as the quality of the property. Housing units in Waukee may vary from detached houses, townhouses, 3-5 unit structures to mobile homes and condo units. Apartment rentals are relatively more expensive in Waukee than Des Moines Metro which is the most populated city in Iowa based from a survey from 2011. Should you be interested in living in this "round-the-clock" suburban living city, (who wouldn't want to live in this city) finding the right home may it be a furnished apartment or a duplex for rent will take 30-45 days to close on it before you can move in. The time to start looking for the right home is now, so you would have a decent amount of time to search then add another 30-45 days to close. Just like all the other procedure in getting a house financing is required. It is also a must to know the payment conditions and if payments in advance or down payments are required. So make sure to review your information such as credit score / profile, income, debts and budget for it takes about 30 days to get together and meet with a lender to make sure your financing is in order. You may also take the time to talk to a realty agent to help you in looking for a lender and help you make that right house in mind a reality in this best place to live in.
Neighborhoods
Though there aren't any neighborhoods in Waukee, Downtown is the core identity of Waukee, combining a mixture of public and private land uses places for public gathering, streetscaping and still preserving the community's history and character through a strategically situated public art. Sixth Street is The "New" Main street of Waukee, it is the "spine" of Downtown comprised of retail and service businesses around, boutique office space and higher density residential area that creates a "round-the-clock" activity and commerce in the city. This area also offers a lot of home rentals and apts for rent that opens opportunities for people to live in this "one-stop-shop kind of city. Transportation would not be a problem for local buses and taxi cabs are available going around the city. The local government transformed the Downtown area into a regional pedestrian trail allowing the residents within Waukee and even nearby communities a direct pedestrian access to Downtown.
Living in Waukee
Waukee, once a rural community, has evolved from a rural town to a place with a suburban edge. The city boasts of its neighborhood and community that are nearly the same amenities of a larger city and yet still keeping the city's history and heritage. Safety and security wouldn't be much of a bother since, this may sound clich however, Waukee is said to be the second safest city in Iowa based on a crime survey in 2011. Emergency services like Waukee Police and Firefighters are very prompt once their services whenever they are needed. Of course that's why it was called the best place to live in the State of Iowa
Waukee is full of places that support a variety of lifestyles which fosters interaction within communities by offering different recreational activities, such as hiking and biking at the Racoon Valley Recreation Trail. The local parks include the Southfork Park, Centennial Park, Windfield Park, Ridge Pointe Park and Songbird Park. The Blank Park Zoo is also worth a visit. The city also provides several shopping centers with dry-cleaners, coffee / tea houses, convenient store, barber shops / beauty salons, post office and bistros for daily services for the residential neighborhood. Waukee offers a wide variety of restaurants from pizza to ice cream parlors and of course to the famous Rube's Steakhouse. Waukee is home to a nine-hole city-owned Sugar Creek Golf Course that has snack bars, pro shop and a club house. A new facility with seven parks was completed by YMCA that offers different sports such as disc golf, volleyball, basketball, trails and shelters for more outdoor recreational fun.
Waukee Public Library is now home to Painted Lady caterpillars and people gather each year to watch as they evolve into gorgeous butterflies. Summer marks the calendar with festivals such as the weekly Farmer's Market, the celebrations of 4th of July and the Jazz as well. During winter months, Winterfest are held annually at the Triangle Park featuring carriage and horse rides and pictures with Santa.
