As an aside on the weather - Those who’ve never lived in, or visited Iowa in the winter, really don’t know how cold and windy it is. #62’s post is spot on about the weather in winter. My stepdaughter claimed it was colder and snowier than in the Chicago area, by Lake Michigan, and when we visited her a couple of times in winter, we thought so too.
Iowa is fairly flat, even in the “hilly” parts, and mostly plains and farmland, nothing to temper the wind…
I think if OP just got to Missouri or Kansas or southern IL, they’d find warmer weather!
As for cities - someone mentioned Drake earlier. Drake is in Des Moines, and I keep reading and hearing that Des Moines is one of THE up-and-coming cities…