Dan Aykroyd seems to have a special feeling for the community of Webster City. In 1980, he showed up unannounced to punch tickets at the Webster City Theater for the premiere of the movie "Blues Brothers." Eight years later, Aykroyd's character in the movie "Couch Trip" mentions that he was born in Webster City, which he describes as a "lovely little midwestern town."
Webster City certainly lives up to Aykroyd's estimation, with a population of 8,070 as of the 2010 census. It is a quiet little town, with population density that is good for its size. If you are looking for a prototypical Midwestern town, Webster City is pretty much it.
Moving to Webster City
If you are planning a move to Webster City, from spring to fall is probably the best time. Winters here are like winters all over the Midwest, and can be bone-numbingly cold at the height of the season. Other than that, Webster City is not seasonal and there is no real optimum time when you will find more vacancies over another time of year. Just make sure you're prepared with copies of your ID, rental history, proof of income, reference and a recent credit report.
Neighborhoods of Webster City
Consider the following areas in Webster City when you're looking for a neighborhood.
Williams: This is the outlying area of the community, and gives residents the best access to local parks and waterways. Those looking for places to rent, especially a home for rent, should start their search here. Most of Williams is composed of rental homes that are anywhere from small one bedroom studio homes to four-bedroom family houses. Some structures in the area are historic, but most were built between 1970 and 1999.
Beach Street: As you move close to the city's center, you will find the Beach Street neighborhood. This area is a little more metropolitan (at least as far as small, quiet midwestern towns are concerned), and features both homes for rent as well as apartment rentals. This is termed the more hip, trendy part of Webster City and includes the Webster City Country Club on its eastern edge. This neighborhood also includes Brewer Park, giving even the suburban city folk a place to get out and stretch their legs.
City Center: Finally, the City Center portion of Webster City is the most urban and is located at, well, the center of the city. The neighborhood is bisected by Highway 20, a major east / west corridor across the state of Iowa. Small apartment buildings and medium-sized family homes are found here. If you are searching for premier apartments, this is the place to find it. While most city centers would be a bustling area, Webster City's downtown still provides a quiet backdrop. There are a number of parks located near downtown, including Kendall Young Park, Nokomi's Park, Sketchley Park and Wilson Brewer Memorial Park.
Living in Webster City
It may be a small, quiet community, but it also has quite a deep literary heritage. Two Pulitzer Prize winners have called Webster City home. MacKinlay Kantor authored more than 30 novels, including "Andersonville" in 1955, which he won the prize for. Clark Mollenhoff was a journalist for the "Des Moines Register" when he exposed racketeering and corruption within the Teamsters Union.
The community offers plenty of opportunity for those who love to get outdoors and get active. There are 11 parks, two golf courses, an indoor and outdoor community pool, recreation center and numerous camping areas. In addition, the area is bisected by numerous waterways, including Brushy Creek, White Fox Creek, Buck Creek, Otter Creek and the Boone River.