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Lifestyle
Lifestyle Choices
While early pioneers and new pioneers share many reasons for coming to
the Prairie, our new pioneers have additional lifestyle choice to consider.
Thanks to air travel, Fed X and similar delivery services, e-mail communications,
and the World Wide Web, it no longer matters "where" you live.
As life in urban areas becomes more and more impersonal, more and more
crowded, and more and more unsafe, people are looking for a lifestyle
alternative that will allow them to earn a living in a more favorable
environment.
The northern prairie provides just such an environment - clean, clear
air, pollution-free water, no commute, zero traffic (compared to major
metro areas at least!), safe, crime-free neighborhoods, and locally-owned
businesses that will take a check for the groceries every week without
requiring eight forms of ID.
When it comes to raising a family, the benefits of prairie living continue
to mount.
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Group and home daycare is licensed by the state
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Standard test scores remain among the highest in the nation:
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Verbal
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Math
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Minnesota Average Score
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598 (#2)
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586 (#3)
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North Dakota Average Score
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605 (#1)
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594 (#1)
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National Average Score
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511
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505
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Arts and recreational activities are numerous, low cost, and convenient.
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State of the art medical care is standard and includes numerous specialties.
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Zero Population Growth ranked Fargo fifth among 140 comparably
sized communities as a great place for kids, based on community life,
economics, education, environment, health, population change and public
safety (August 2001).
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Ladies Home Journal ranked Fargo eighth in the top-ten listing
of "The Best Cities for Women - 2000." Rankings were based
on five categories: crime, lifestyle, education and jobs.
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Zero Population Growth ranked the community first among 112
cities for "kid friendliness" (August 1999).
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State Policy Reports ties North Dakota for the number one
spot in the Crime-Free component; number one in the Educated Population
component and number four in the Prudent Government component. The
state also holds the fourth position in the aggregate overall ranking
of states.
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National organizations such as Zero Population Growth, the
Children's Rights Council (1997) and the Ann E. Casey Foundation
consistently rank Fargo-Moorhead and North Dakota as one of the best
environments in the nation for children.
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Redbook magazine ranks Fargo-Moorhead as one of the best communities
in the nation for working mothers (May 1996).
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Money magazine has ranked Fargo-Moorhead in the top 20% nationally
for the past seven years in their annual "Best Places to Live"
report. In 1996, Money also ranked the community fourth in two subcategories:"Best
Small Places to Live" and "Best Places in the Midwest."
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Morgan Quitno Press consistently ranks North Dakota as one
of the safest states nationally in its annual crime survey
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North Dakota boasts the lowest violent crime rate (50/50) nationally.
Minnesota ranks number 18 out of 50. State Rankings 2000
In the Pioneer Stories section, numerous new pioneers tell you first
hand their reasons for coming:
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Daryl Martin left behind a 66-mile commute and endless workdays
in southern California for life in the vast lane in Dickinson, ND.
For Martin's pioneer story, go to The
Rewards of Stepping off the Fast Track.
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Steve Gasal, formerly of Seattle, Washington, says, "I
jumped at the chance to come back. I was fed up with the congestion,
the high cost of living, the lengthy commutes. I was spending a half
hour each way; now I'm six minutes from work. I have all the job satisfaction
I'm used to, challenging work, and a lot less bureaucracy."
For Gasal's complete story, visit Region
Lures Engineers from Far and Wide.
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Kirsten Kvalsten, age 11, who had been living in a Minneapolis
suburb explains why she likes living in North Dakota better than Minneapolis.
"You know you're going to be safe here. You never know in
Minneapolis when there might be a gang or someone might try to steal
you or kidnap you. People are really nice here." To read
the entire interview with Kirsten, go to From
the Mouths of Babes.
For more first hand accounts of "reasons for coming, visit Immigrant
Stories at www.fmchamber.com/areainfo/regional_information.htm
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