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Old 09-02-2007, 09:39 AM
 
474 posts, read 2,538,206 times
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One may ask, "What is the Bible Belt"? It is an area located in the Southern part of Illinois and other states, too. It is an area where people live at a slower pace, are more friendly towards strangers, and raise their kids in a more wholesome community. Many local ma & pop businesses even shut down on Sundays to attend church. In summary, the Bible Belt communities support social living conditions that many people search for, today. Although some people don't understand what they actually yearn for.
In Illinois, the Bible Belt starts in Effingham, Illinois. The proof of this is to visit the web site, The Cross Foundation, and view the 198 foot cross that is adjacent to Interstate 57 (east side of the road). For first time spotters, that cross is so large that it is awsome.
Although with this cross, Effingham proclaims that they are the gateway to the Bible Belt, there is actually some overlapping of the Bible Belt further north into the state of Illinois. Usually, in small farming communities where they also have the same ideals.
So if your method of operation is to move to Chicago as a shaker or mover, then expect some rough competitive treatment from others as well. However, if your goal is to raise children in a quiet Bible Belt community, then chose something south of Effingham, Illinois.

Best Regards,

Carter Glass
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Old 09-03-2007, 02:05 AM
 
2 posts, read 9,385 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jons99 View Post
And that area is so darn prosperous, isn't it? High unemployment, low wages, poor schools, nothing to do.... Yep, great place to raise children!

There are certain areas that are doing quite well south of Effingham. Marion, IL is growing at a very quick pace, due to attractive business and income taxes. That, along with lower industrial costs than larger metro areas, make Marion a very good place for many different career fields. And many of those fields are very well paying. Marion has averaged 1+ new businesses EVERY MONTH for 5 years and counting.

It depends on how good you are no matter where you decide to live. My family has a very successful wholesale building materials company out of Herrin, IL (right next to Marion). We compete, I might add out compete, with companies out of St. Louis, Peoria, Nashvile and other national level companies for business in the five state region. All from a lowly Bible Belt community of 11,000 people. We do it by better, more honest service than the city based companies provide.

No educated person is going to take their specialty to a place where there isn't a need for it. It might surprise you that there are accountants, engineers, architects, human resource managers and what do you know, very well paid doctors throughout the Bible Belt. Of course salaries are lower compared to large urban areas, but the cost of living is lower as well.
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Old 09-04-2007, 02:55 PM
 
Location: Phoenix metro
20,004 posts, read 77,355,011 times
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Could it be argued that Wheaton, IL (the city with the most churches per capita) is not in the Bible Belt? I dont really know of a more religious city, especially one that size...
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Old 09-05-2007, 12:05 AM
 
Location: Boise, ID
27 posts, read 148,197 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NYrules View Post
I second that!!! Unless you count working cashier at Wal Mart a great career!!!
Have any of you lived in Southern Illinois? I grew up there and my family and most of my friend's families are quite well off. Some of my friend's parent's occupations: one is a chemical engineer who builds weapons for the U.S. military ($130,000k), one is the owner of the company that rips off all those Chicago fools who buy the expensive pre-paid phone cards (because they can't even get mobile phone companies to trust them with a contract), one is one of the four members of the Illinois Labor Board (he's friends with Blagojevich which I highly disapprove of), a few own small businesses, and my family owns a business that does $14 million in revenue per year. And guess what, the money made by successful people in So. IL goes a LONG way.

If you're not successful, you're not going to be successful anywhere. If you're looking for a bottom of the barrel job, then So. IL probably isn't the best place to live. Unemployment in the area isn't 20% like it seems you guys think. It is 5.8%-6.6%, Illinois as a whole is 5.6%.

I myself, don't like small town living and thus have moved away. But, some of these posts are completely wrong.
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Old 09-05-2007, 09:25 AM
 
Location: Phoenix metro
20,004 posts, read 77,355,011 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LeftSo.IL.Behind View Post
Some of my friend's parent's occupations: one is a chemical engineer who builds weapons for the U.S. military ($130,000k),
My friend is a car mechanic and makes 120K up here. 130K in So. IL is definitely alot of money but not up here. My cousin makes 120K a year (Best Buy) and can only afford a 300K house, which are run-of-the-mill in most cities up here. I wonder what all the other 10s of 1,000's of people make a year who live in all the really nice homes.
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Old 09-05-2007, 03:34 PM
 
Location: Boise, ID
27 posts, read 148,197 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-o View Post
My friend is a car mechanic and makes 120K up here. 130K in So. IL is definitely alot of money but not up here. My cousin makes 120K a year (Best Buy) and can only afford a 300K house, which are run-of-the-mill in most cities up here. I wonder what all the other 10s of 1,000's of people make a year who live in all the really nice homes.
That's the point. Cost of Living.

In today's economy you can make your money in the big cities while living in a small town (low cost of living, low crime). You don't have to kill yourself to make $120,000k and still have little to show for it in an expensive city.

And please quit talking about the people who are supposedly struggling in Southern Illinois. Anyone can get a job as a truck driver at any time, if they want it. And if a person needs to move to support their family with what education/skills they have (or don't), then that may be a good idea. For some reason the attitude is prevalent that, "I shouldn't have to move to get a job." That's the only problem I see in the Southern Illinois economy, people unwilling to face the reality of changes in global economics.

As for foward thinking individuals, a pretty, low cost of living place like So. IL is an excellent place to make high income compared to cost of living.
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Old 09-05-2007, 03:45 PM
 
Location: Phoenix metro
20,004 posts, read 77,355,011 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LeftSo.IL.Behind View Post
And please quit talking about the people who are supposedly struggling in Southern Illinois.
What? I never said anything about people struggling in Southern Illinois.
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Old 09-05-2007, 03:50 PM
 
Location: Boise, ID
27 posts, read 148,197 times
Reputation: 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-o View Post
What? I never said anything about people struggling in Southern Illinois.
Sorry Stev-o, I didn't mean you. I was just using your quote to start. The other posts on this thread claim that people in So. IL are struggling.
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Old 09-05-2007, 07:45 PM
 
Location: Chicago
38,707 posts, read 103,138,905 times
Reputation: 29983
How about this: you raise your kids wherever you want, and let others make that decision for themselves, and respect each others' decisions. Why's that so hard?
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Old 09-08-2007, 08:48 PM
 
610 posts, read 2,728,354 times
Reputation: 128
I think there are "Bible Belts/Bubbles" all over Illinos. I agree with Steve O with Wheaton being one of them. With lots of DH's family in southern Illinois, I personally wouldn't choose to live there, but I know there is an attraction there for others. I know lots of Bible loving people in the Burbs and far down in Southern Il. Last time I went down there was to rescue dogs from IL's largest puppy mill - not my favorite thing about southern IL.
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