I saw in today’s Des Moines Register that a recent random phone survey of 354 registered voters in my corner of the world found that 99 percent are satisfied with the quality of life in Windsor Heights, and 89 percent described the city services and quality of life as “above average.”

The poll reached a substantial proportion of adults in Windsor Heights, which has a total population of just under 5,000.

I am not too surprised by the survey. Windsor Heights is no more than a 10-15 minute drive from most spots in the Des Moines metro area (it takes about 20 minutes to get to the airport and the zoo). There are some nice locally-owned shops and restaurants, as well as a huge Hy-Vee and Wal-Mart for those who like big box stores. The city services are generally good, and houses for sale usually move quickly, unless they are obviously overpriced.

There are two good elementary schools in the suburb (Cowles Montessori in the Des Moines Public Schools and Clive Elementary in the West Des Moines school district). Windsor Elementary in the Des Moines Public Schools is just a few blocks over the border in Des Moines and also has a good reputation.

I live in the house I grew up in, which my parents bought in 1968. When I started volunteering as a precinct captain for the Kerry campaign in 2003, I was amazed by how many parents of my childhood friends still lived in the homes they bought in the 1950s or 1960s. A lot of Democrats I didn’t know recognized my name and told me they remembered my parents or one of my siblings.

We have friends who moved to a home about a half-mile from ours this past summer, and they bought that home from the original owners.

Windsor Heights was heavily Republican during my childhood, but like inner-ring suburbs across the country, it has become more Democratic over the years. Unfortunately, we are in very Republican districts (dominated by other suburban neighborhoods) for the Iowa House and Senate.

Consider this an open thread to talk about the virtues of your city or your neighborhood.