Des Moines is the capital of Iowa, a large number of employees work for the government. Another large industry in Des Moines is insurance companies. Because of this, it is known as "The Hartford of the West". Principal Financial Group maintains its headquarters in Des Moines, and was ranked 261st in the Forbes 500 in 2006. Other major corporations located in Des Moines are Wells Fargo, ING Group, and Electronic Data Systems.
In 2007, Forbes magazine ranked the Des Moines metropolitan area the 4th Best Place For Business And Careers, based on factors such as the cost of doing business, cost of living, educational attainment, and crime rate.
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