We Iowans love our great state, so of course we get a little irritated when out-of-staters say things like: “Oh, you’re from Iowa? I’m so sorry,” or “Iowa is only good for one thing – flying over.” Our state is one of the very best places to live, so when we hear these 10 common stereotypes about Iowa, we get a little prickly…
- Iowa is flat.
iowabyways/Flickr Anyone who has ever ridden RAGBRAI can attest that Iowa is most definitely not flat.
- There is nothing in Iowa but cornfields.
A. M. A. Campbell/Flickr Obviously you haven’t spent much time in Iowa if this is what you think about our state. Contrary to popular belief, there is so much more to Iowa than cornfields.
- There is nothing to do in Iowa but watch the corn grow.
Michael Kappel/Flickr This one is just laughable. There is an abundance of things to do in Iowa, and I can guarantee that none of them involve watching the corn grow.
- Everyone in Iowa is a farmer.
Dirk-Jan Kraan/Flickr Don’t get me wrong - there are plenty of farmers in Iowa, and being a farmer is something to be proud of, but saying that everyone in Iowa is a farmer is a bit of a sweeping generalization. Actually, one of the largest employers in the state is Rockwell Collins, an international avionics and information technology company headquartered in Cedar Rapids.
- Everyone in Iowa lives in the country.
Larry Bradshaw/Flickr There are plenty of rural communities and small towns across Iowa, but Iowa’s population is actually more urban than rural.
- People in Iowa drive their tractors to work.
Wikimedia Commons Sure, we may have a “drive your tractor to work/school day” once a year, but unless you’re a farmer, you don’t drive your tractor to work… or even own one…
- Iowans are rednecks.
Steve Shupe/Flickr People like to joke that Iowans are rednecks and hicks, but the joke is on them because Iowa has the highest literacy and graduation rates, and we are home to Iowa City, which is one of the six UNESCO Cities of Literature.
- People in Iowa still live without indoor plumbing and electricity.
Wikimedia Commons For some reason, a surprising number of out-of-staters think that we don’t have indoor plumbing or electricity… But this is obviously not true, our standards of living are the same as everyone else’s.
- There is no culture in Iowa.
Mike Willis/FLickr People who say that Iowa has no culture have probably never been to the Czech Village in Cedar Rapids, or Des Moines’ East Village, or Pella, or Elk Horn, or Orange City, or St. Donatus… You get the point.
- Iowa is a fly-over state.
iowabyways/Flickr You can call it what you want, even a fly-over state, but we Iowans are happy to call it home.
What are some more stereotypes about Iowa you wish you could put to rest?
iowabyways/Flickr
Anyone who has ever ridden RAGBRAI can attest that Iowa is most definitely not flat.
A. M. A. Campbell/Flickr
Obviously you haven’t spent much time in Iowa if this is what you think about our state. Contrary to popular belief, there is so much more to Iowa than cornfields.
Michael Kappel/Flickr
This one is just laughable. There is an abundance of things to do in Iowa, and I can guarantee that none of them involve watching the corn grow.
Dirk-Jan Kraan/Flickr
Don’t get me wrong - there are plenty of farmers in Iowa, and being a farmer is something to be proud of, but saying that everyone in Iowa is a farmer is a bit of a sweeping generalization. Actually, one of the largest employers in the state is Rockwell Collins, an international avionics and information technology company headquartered in Cedar Rapids.
Larry Bradshaw/Flickr
There are plenty of rural communities and small towns across Iowa, but Iowa’s population is actually more urban than rural.
Wikimedia Commons
Sure, we may have a “drive your tractor to work/school day” once a year, but unless you’re a farmer, you don’t drive your tractor to work… or even own one…
Steve Shupe/Flickr
People like to joke that Iowans are rednecks and hicks, but the joke is on them because Iowa has the highest literacy and graduation rates, and we are home to Iowa City, which is one of the six UNESCO Cities of Literature.
For some reason, a surprising number of out-of-staters think that we don’t have indoor plumbing or electricity… But this is obviously not true, our standards of living are the same as everyone else’s.
Mike Willis/FLickr
People who say that Iowa has no culture have probably never been to the Czech Village in Cedar Rapids, or Des Moines’ East Village, or Pella, or Elk Horn, or Orange City, or St. Donatus… You get the point.
You can call it what you want, even a fly-over state, but we Iowans are happy to call it home.
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