Non-believing family near Peoria? (Bloomington, Morton: home, good schools, quality of life)

[SammyJr]

My family currently lives in Bloomington, but my new job forces a daily commute to downtown Peoria. We'd like to move a lot closer, but still outside of the Peoria city limits.

We're looking for a smaller town with good schools that would be tolerant of an atheist family. We're quiet and nonchalant about our lack of belief but we don't want to live in an area were we would become a source of gossip because we sleep in on Sunday.

I know Morton, Washington, and Dunlap have excellent schools.

Suggestions?

[braves]

Washington, Morton, and Dunlap are all excellent places to move to! Another one to consider would be Metamora or Germantown Hills. One thing to keep in mind is that these town are all less than 30k people. Neighbors still know each other, and the small town feel is still VERY alive. With any small town you will have people that love to talk. But with the great quality of life in these towns I think that it makes up for it in the end even if they do. Have you ever thought about living in Peoria proper. You would be even closer to work, and since Peoria is much larger than the rest of these towns you should maybe escape that kind of conduct that you don't want.

[Paxtonian]

Provided you don't have a blood-stained stone altar in the back yard, I think no one would really notice. If anyone gets TOO inquisitive, tell them you're Adventists. No one knows much about that ilk in these parts.

[SammyJr]

Originally Posted by braves

Washington, Morton, and Dunlap are all excellent places to move to! Another one to consider would be Metamora or Germantown Hills. One thing to keep in mind is that these town are all less than 30k people. Neighbors still know each other, and the small town feel is still VERY alive. With any small town you will have people that love to talk. But with the great quality of life in these towns I think that it makes up for it in the end even if they do. Have you ever thought about living in Peoria proper. You would be even closer to work, and since Peoria is much larger than the rest of these towns you should maybe escape that kind of conduct that you don't want.

My concern with Metamora/Germantown hills is the property taxes. I've heard rumors that Woodford County property taxes make my high McLean county look affordable. McLean County has a very nice website for looking up property tax info. I can't find anything similar for Woodford or Tazewell county.

Peoria City Schools make living in the city proper impossible. Richwoods is decent, but its no Morton or Unit 5. To describe Woodruff, Manual, and Peoria as nightmare would be kind. I lived in Peoria for several years, pre-family, so I heard quite a bit about Peoria schools.

Thanks for the info.

[SammyJr]

Originally Posted by Paxtonian

Provided you don't have a blood-stained stone altar in the back yard, I think no one would really notice. If anyone gets TOO inquisitive, tell them you're Adventists. No one knows much about that ilk in these parts.

Um, no. I'm an atheist, not a satanist.

[berries]

THE BAPTIST WILL GET YOU. THEY WILL GET YER KIDS WORSE IF YOU HAVE THEM!!!. Promises of doughnuts and games tried to lure my kids...luckily they areMY kids. Good luck it ain't easy going against the prevailing wind, but worth it

[SammyJr]

Originally Posted by berries

THE BAPTIST WILL GET YOU. THEY WILL GET YER KIDS WORSE IF YOU HAVE THEM!!!. Promises of doughnuts and games tried to lure my kids...luckily they areMY kids. Good luck it ain't easy going against the prevailing wind, but worth it

Are you refering to door-to-door evangelicals?

[Paxtonian]

His kids probably got bored silly trying to figure just what in blazes the sound of one hand clapping sounded like and attended Vacation Bible School at a Baptist church. For the most part, the only door to door evangelical activity you'll find in Illinois is by the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons. Most people regard these intrusions as annoying but harmless.
Anyway, about V.B.S., they usually do craft projects and the kids get some cookies and kool-aid. They might even come home with a mimeograph they colored in with crayon of the Apostle Paul. How harmful do you find THAT?

[karlsch]

There is nothing unusual about being an atheist. They are a dime a dozen.

I have been an atheist for 50 years. I have lived in Northern and Central Illinois, Indiana, Eastern and Western Oregon and rural Alaska. It has never been a problem-in fact, it never occurred to me that it would be a problem.

[SammyJr]

Originally Posted by karlsch

There is nothing unusual about being an atheist. They are a dime a dozen.

I have been an atheist for 50 years. I have lived in Northern and Central Illinois, Indiana, Eastern and Western Oregon and rural Alaska. It has never been a problem-in fact, it never occurred to me that it would be a problem.

Good to hear. I haven't had a problem, either, but you never know.