Relocation Question for 40 Something Black Lesbian Couple... (Chicago, Peoria: 2013, renters)

[shebuilt]

Hello. I hope someone can chime in and be of help. My wife and I are from SF, CA...Relocated and live in Dallas, TX. We are not happy with the professional, black crowd (almost impossible to find) not to mention the lack of normalcy for black lesbians in general.
Question to the locals would be where is a great living area for an older black lesbian couple who are no longer into the club scene but rather being comfortable and enjoying life with all races?

[chet everett]

While it ought to go without saying that no place in the country is going to be in the same league as SF you can rest assured that Chicago is far more more likely to fit that bill than Dallas!

I would look at Andersonville, Lincoln Square, Hyde Park and probably the South Loop / Printer's Row areas for the greatest likelihood of folks similar to you wants.

[linicx]

Sadly, all of these places have experienced a crime uptick this summer of 41-46 incidences. Andersonville has had 41 incidences between mid-July and August 30th. The other two averaged 43-46 incidences between Mid-August and August 30th. Is Anderson clearly a winner?

I think it depends upon how one views the demographics. The only data I could find was from 2000. It suggests Andersonville is 97% White community which, all things considered, was probably correct at that time. The question is what doe this community looks like 12 years later? Do keep in mind the Gold Coast, Streeterville, and Andersonville are probably the three most expensive residential addresses in the city.

[chet everett]

Andersonsville is not even in the top five of costly parts of Chicago... If one goes solely on selling price of condos & homes it is not even in the top ten slots.

[linicx]

It really does not matter. The OP has not been back to clarify whether they prefer the city or another part of the state. They have not indicated whether or not they prefer to live in a LGBT community, a predominately white community, or a predominately black community, or if they have a preference. The only thing obvious is they are not happy living in a southern state.

[shebuilt]

Thanks all. I don't think neighborhood matters but would prefer mostly homeowners and no bus lines. I loathe hard parking and parties after 10pm -

I have been to North Side of Chicago years ago and many trips, but I hear and see (wgn) that it has all changed so much. Too bad too.

[the1nerh]

Hyde Park...

[the1nerh]

HAve u checked out Atlanta?

[linicx]

The whole city has changed a lot in the last fifty years. Cities change as needed or they wither and die like grapes on a vine. Illinois might as well be two states: Chicago and Springfield versus the rest of the state. The state is divided politically, and physically by the longest river in the state.

There is no argument that Chicago has the largest black community and the largest LGBT community in the state. I do not know for a fact that Chicago is, or is not, the most segregated city in America, or the most crime ridden, as I never saw any credible data on the subject. We have several well educated black members in the Chicago forum, as well as several educated LGBT members in the Chicago forum.

The general consensus thus far seems to be that educated black in Chicago have a harder time meeting other educated black for a potential relationship. Most of the communities below I-80 and in Central Illinois seem to have a small LGBT and small black community. Unfortunately these are separated by miles of farms and ranches. As a result there are there three very different areas of large population.

Springfield is the seat of state government and is closely aligned with Chicago. Illinois is the only state that put three me in the White House, and four men in the Big House. IL impeached and convicted the ex-governor, and passed a law to protect drain cleaner. Everyone complains about taxes, but I think IL is one of the few states where property owners support schools and renters do not. You bypass a lot of extra expense in Illinois by not owning property, or a car.

Champaign - Decatur area. Champaign is home of the flagship University. I believe the students voted it in the 2012 Princeton Review as the #4 college party school. It is in good company as Iowa City and Ann Arbor were also on the list, etc. The administrators are livid! The student population I think is approaching 30,000+. Decatur was hard had when manufacturing in central Illinois moved. To its credit, Miliken University is still going strong. The 2013 edition of “America’s Best Colleges” ranks Millikin as the No. 8 Regional College in the Midwest. Millikin was also included in a list of approximately 300 schools from across the country designated as “A-Plus Schools for B Students".

Peoria - Bloomington have been very well connected for many years via news, weather, shopping and employment. Peoria-Bloomington news is literally broadcast from Marshall -Stark and Know counties to Mason to McLean counties and beyond. It is the largest shopping and medical area with five malls, 9 hospitals, a dozen grocers, a dozen shopping centers and more than 600 restaurants in this area. And yes, you can even find NYC style of clothing for women. There are four universities, a liberal arts college, three community colleges,and trade schools. Peoria has been racially integrated for many years. Physically the Peoria-Bloomington topography is a mix of forested areas, high cliffs, and tall rolling hills that slowly blend into the Illinois Prairie as one drives east.

There are small LGBT community across the state. None are remotely like Boystown or Andersonville in Chicago, or the size of the Chicago LGBT community. The COL downstate is very, reasonable. Parks are large, green and plentiful with 5 zoological parks, and botinical parks. Visitors can find large community events, Performing Arts, a broad range of music from Chamber to Indie, Fine Arts, museums, and good food. As a whole, I did not find a great deal of difference in the quality of food between California and Central Illinois. As far as I know there is no 5 star restaurants in Illinois, but you can certainly find some very talented classically trained chefs throughout the state, and a few of Micheline's Open Table restaurants. .

Weather in central Illinois is usually quite different than in Chicago largely because Chicago is clustered around a Great Lake whereas the balance of state is surrounded by, and divided by, large rivers and dotted with lakes and streams. Between the corn, and the bodies of wate,r one can usually look forward to a humid summer.

Illinois is a beautiful state with some interesting surprises. There are certainly worst places to live.

Originally Posted by shebuilt

Thanks all. I don't think neighborhood matters but would prefer mostly homeowners and no bus lines. I loathe hard parking and parties after 10pm -

I have been to North Side of Chicago years ago and many trips, but I hear and see (wgn) that it has all changed so much. Too bad too.

[melanie silver]

Hi,
I have a lot of lesbian friends who live in evanston, il. they tell me its a very accepting area. collage town, nice place to live