6 Reasons You Ought to Give Iowa a Try

1. The state is named for the Ioway people, who were one of the Native American people's living in the region during European exploration.

2. Des Moines is the state capital and also the largest metro area.

3.  Iowa is the only state whose eastern and western state borders are formed entirely by rivers.

4. Iowa was the first state to establish secondary schools (high schools) throughout the state. In 2015, the graduation rate was 90%, the highest in the nation.

5. Madison County, home of covered bridges, is also John Wayne's birthplace.

6. Although practice didn't always live up to intentions, Iowa was among the earliest states to prohibit racial discrimination. The stateio Supreme Court's very first decision declared a runaway slave free once he set foot on Iowa soil.