Bloomington Vs Chicagoland (Geneva area) (Naperville, Peoria: real estate, 2009, house prices)

[llama214]

What question have I not answered? I am only here to be informative to nather, no one else until they have a legit question.

And I'm sure that people have left B-N for Chicagoland. That's sort of odd to ask. Most people that move from the west coast, seem to make there way up there if things don't work out here. Most wish they were back here in a few months, but you just have to role with the punches I guess. But..um..isn't it kinda obvious that I don't see those people everyday, and in turn see the Chicago transplants way more, so I am more familiar with them.

And as for my comments about being close to three cities. B-N is almost 1.5-2hrs closer to Indy than Chicago! Just look at a map. Indy is further south than even B-N is. How could Chicago be closer. Just getting out of Chicago would take and hour. And no offense, but people from Indy respond way better to people that are NOT from Chicago or Detriot. Go ahead, be closer to Milwaukee. I'll take SL over that place anyday. Besides, if I was in the suburbs, and had three-four days of random vacation, I wouldn't spend it in Milwaukee, and Indy is a decent drive away. You are more likely to spend your money in Chicago. That just makes sense. Whereas in central Illinois you have the option, and travel time is cut down.

And as for having O'Hare, that's nice, if you can get to it. No matter what day it is, no matter the hour or circumstances, the highway around O'Hare is nothing but gridlock or a complete rollar coaster ride. Why would we need that though? We have an airport in Bloomington, and the one in Peoria. If those don't lead us to our destination then I'm sure we will be stopping in Chicago or SL for a few mins. Makes the vacation more interesting in the long run.

[Steve-o]

90 around O' Hare can be snarled at times, but 3 out of 5 times this month alone Ive breezed right on through. Why is it always assumed that Chicago is ALWAYS backed up? Thats not the case whatsoever. Ive made it from Naperville on 88 to Damen in 35 minutes the last two Hawks games. Beat that! Thats not bad at all!

As for picking St. Louis over Milwaukee? I guess to each his own. Milwaukee is a much better city. Its not nearly as dirty or full of crime, the downtown is just as nice and plus you have the beautiful lakefront, give me Milwaukee anyday over St. Louis.

[llama214]

Nather, I was just looking around at some more info on the area. I guess because I live in Bloomington, I just always assumed that Normal's per capita income was just as high, if not higher in some parts. Just goes to show you shouldn't assume. Normal's appears to be pretty much middle row when it comes to bigger Illinois towns. Still higher than most though, so don't worry. But as I was looking at it, I noticed that both Urbana and Peoria made that list. The common thread(maybe not so much for Peoria) BIG colleges. College students are broke all the time, and have very few assets. Don't let this throw you though when looking at the towns. Normal is very prosperous and well managed. Of course if you decide to live in Normal you will have to live with the fact that people will always be making jokes about your cities name. In fact, don't quote me on this though, Normal, Illinois, is Eerie, Indian's sister city.

[Jons99]

Originally Posted by llama214

B-N is almost 1.5-2hrs closer to Indy than Chicago! Just look at a map. Indy is further south than even B-N is. How could Chicago be closer. Just getting out of Chicago would take and hour.

According to mapquest

Chicago to Indy- 183 miles
Bloomington to Indy- 172 miles

11 miles is equal to 1.5-2 hours further???? I didn't realize you were WALKING..

Moderator cut: personal - off topic

[llama214]

Originally Posted by Jons99

According to mapquest

Chicago to Indy- 183 miles
Bloomington to Indy- 172 miles

11 miles is equal to 1.5-2 hours further???? I didn't realize you were WALKING..

Jon99, you really need to let it go. I used to live in Indianapolis and visited my family, the majority who, live in central Illinois. It may be the same distance in a perfect world. But if you were going from a Geneva to downtown Indy, don't tell me that it is going to be the same. Just getting out of Chicago, and into Indy takes a large portion of that time. I still travel to Indy a few times a year, and it takes me three hours(and I know the lay of the land) to get into the city. Your views are the skewed ones! Maybe you need to get the facts straight? Maybe in your world traffic just stops in Chicago everytime someone leaves, but for the rest of us this is not the case. It has taken me TWO hours to just get into Chicago from the Indiana/Chicago border. That doesn't take into account once you are in the city itself. I can't even believe I'm responding to this. Have you ever even travelled for Chicago to Indy. It is very apparent that you have not!

And I'm still waiting for that list of questions that I have seemingly forgotten. I think if anything there is a new troll on here.

[Jons99]

At the time I posted it, you had avoided my question regarding the distance B-N was to the 3 cities..

Anyway, this discussion is about the ChicagoLAND, not Chicago, you seem to like to like to go back and forth whenever its handy. I live in Frankfort, not Geneva, and I can get to Indy quite easily and normally in around 3 hours. Though its an awfully boring town and there isn't a big reason to go there. Its quite apparent you are desperate when your big advantage of living where you do is its supposed closeness to a city with the nickname of Naptown.

And if it took you 2 hours to go from the Indiana line to Chicago, that says a lot about you.

[llama214]

Originally Posted by Jons99

At the time I posted it, you had avoided my question regarding the distance B-N was to the 3 cities..

Anyway, this discussion is about the ChicagoLAND, not Chicago, you seem to like to like to go back and forth whenever its handy. I live in Frankfort, not Geneva, and I can get to Indy quite easily and normally in around 3 hours. Though its an awfully boring town and there isn't a big reason to go there. Its quite apparent you are desperate when your big advantage of living where you do is its supposed closeness to a city with the nickname of Naptown.

And if it took you 2 hours to go from the Indiana line to Chicago, that says a lot about you.

I am starting to think that people just come here to argue, because you have just bought up a topic that has already been discussed about a week ago. Yes, I only moved to B-N so I could take advantage of the three cities! Yep! You caught me again! Man you guys are good! The only reason that I brought that up is because nather wanted to be away, but not 500 miles away, from Chicago. I was simply stating, that we are close to SL, Chicago, and Indy. Why do you have a problem with that? If Chiacgo is as great as you people seem to proclaim it to be, why would you need another city to visit. Sounds to me like someone is actually bored with Chicago, but the next closest place is Milwaukee.(and if anything, the entire state of Wisconsin is 'Napton') Why just have Chicago, when you can have a choice? Geneva is only associated with Chicago. Although if it keeps growing I'm sure Rockford will have a piece of it someday.
The reason it took me so long last summer was that there were three bad accidents, and tons of vacationers that day. I'm not sure what that says about me or my driving, but I'll just let you come to your own conclusions, because I have no idea what you are talking about.

Oh, and look. More bashing on the Chicago homefront. Indy is hardly 'Naptown'. In fact, Chicago should take a lesson from the Indy burbs about how to create subdivisions that will actually be somewhere in fifty years. Not these cheap, put one up in a day, homes that are frequent throughout Chicagoland. They also understand that the reason for a suburb is to let people live a more slow paced life outside the city, and to leave the commercial, and buisness aspect of it to the CITY!

And aren't you the guy that judges a place on the company of the bar. How would you know what to look for if you are only interested in what ways there are to get drunk in the town? I, being a family man that has never touched alcohol, am a little disturbed by that!

[Jons99]

You said it took you 2 hours to go from the Chicago/Indiana line to Chicago, apparently you don't see the ignorance in that comment. I really didn't know Indy had suburbs, when we drive in it goes from corn to city real quick. So now you are suggesting that the Chicagoland area would be better suited if places like Fox Valley, Orland, Woodfield etc didn't exist and we would drive an hour into the city to get a pair of socks? Personally, I enjoy having those services in my area.

What exactly are the suburbs of Indy? Off the top of my head the only ones I can think of are Carmel and Clermont.

[llama214]

How is it ignorance to say that it took me two hours to make the trip across the border, when there are accidents, and travellers? Millions travel those roads every year, I just thought it was implied. I guess I'm going ot have to be completely straight forward since many here don't understand, "the underlying statement".

And I'm not suggesting that the Chicago suburbs aren't nice. Many are very nice. But like I have stated before. Comercialism has taken its toll on the area. While it is ok to have a "sock" store in the town, why do you need all of those malls and outlets. It isn't needed. Between Peoria, B-N, and C-U there is about nine. But even that seems a bit much. Indy burbs have figured out that they can maintain a lot less stress and better life if they don't have those things. Why do you think that Chicagoland is traffic nightmare?! It's not because people are just making there way home.

Where are the Indy burbs?!! WOW! Like I said, have you ever been to Indianapolis?! I'm dead serious! There is gorgeous Fishers and Carmel, Noblesville, Clermont, Zionsville etc. not to mention the dozens of subdivisions within the city limits, that aren't inner city.

[Jons99]

I just think its funny that he actually has talked himself into thinking that there are areas downstate that are even close to being as nice as places like Naperville and Frankfort.