Possibly moving to Rockford area. Suggestions? (Chicago, Belvidere: relocating, apartments, income)

[sfk1973]

My wife and I may be relocating from Orlando, Fl. to the Rockford area. That is, if she is offered a job that she is in the process of interviewing for. The job would put her working actually in Rockford, however, we are looking for a quiet area possibly west of the city. We will be looking to rent either an apartment or a house, and I am fairly selective about areas that we live in (safety is my #1 priority). I have heard some good things about some areas, such as Machesney Park, Byron, and Winnebago. We don't mind a commute up to about 30 minutes or so. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

We would also love to know what is considered an average rent for a decent area up there. (As a little bit of what we consider average down here, there are apartments here in areas of Orlando that rent for $450-$700 that I wouldn't recommend to my worst enemy, and we currently have a really nice,quiet 2 Bedroom 1 Bath apartment 15 minutes from Disney that rents for $965.)

Thanks in advance for the input.

[case]

I do not have information on rent in the Rockford area but if you are looking to live outside of the city there are many nice neighborhoods in Winnebago. It is a very small community but schools are good compared to Rockford's, if that is a concern, and it is a quick drive to Rockford. Roscoe is on the north end of town and is growing like crazy.
Keep in mind that if you are going to live in Rockford, stay on the East side of the river. The further east you go the nicer the areas. There are pockets on the west side that aren't bad but you'll want to do your research.

[Flatlander]

I agree with the previous poster, east Rockford is considerably nicer, though there are pockets on the west end that are quite nice. I highly recommend visiting prior to signing a lease. Roscoe and Rockton which are north of Rockford are nice areas that are quiet and safe.

Machesney Park and Loves Park you can easily rent for 900'ish or even less. Again you'd want to visit because you might not like these towns; in my opinion they're dumpy with not much to offer other than big box stores and fast food restaurants.

Byron is a sleepy little town safe town, the power plant always freaked me out a little bit...but it must not bother the residents because people are living there.

[srae0214]

Hi there!! Well, I am currently living in Machesney Park. I agree with one of the previous posters, some areas can be dumpy but some can also be very nice. We are expanding!! When it comes to rent in Rockford, you can get a very nice apartment for $900 a month. Actually, you can get a nice apartment for about $750. Look into Hampton Properties (probably Hampton Courtyard or Hampton Meadows, I lived in those and they are nice). Also look at Rock Valley Apartments, Pembrook Place, or Forest Glen. I know there are a lot of nice, new apartments going up in Loves Park, so it probably would be best to do an internet search.

Byron is a really nice place to be. When my husband and I sell the house we are currently living in that is where we plan to settle because it has good schools and is a safe place to live. So it has my vote!!

Oh, and the power plant is absolutely nothing to worry about. You could fly a plane into it and it still wouldn't go down!

Hope this helps and good luck!!

[cavewoman]

I wrote a few comments in another post....congrats on new job....Machesny has some awesome large homes and very close to shopping highway and Roscoe.
Coming here from Florida though....so sad, I would trade places with ya.
People move slow and often aren't as friendly as Florida. Lot's of feast or famon and commuting is aweful. Have to have a car.
You need to note if you have kids and what your looking for... Rockford is huge and if you have options as to distance, your choices open up.

[Drover]

Don't overlook Belvidere to the east. Safe, quiet, nice downtown area, good mix of older housing with solid workmanship and newer subdivisions, and still relatively cheap. It's growing like a weed though so who knows how long it will stay affordable.

[scoop89]

The Rockford area is a very affordable large town. As with any large town you need to make sure you pick the right neighborhood.

[oldengineer]

First of all, do you really want to move to a decaying industrial town in the heart of the rustbelt? I lived and worked in Rockford for 18 years (up to 2002) and work just kept getting harder and harder to find. The few jobs that were available were through temp firms and low-paying. With every passing year more and more manufacturing firms closed down- and few or none came in. It is almost as bad as it was in the early '80's (when Rockford was practically a ghost town and actually had the highest unemployment rate in the nation.)

This town is split into the "haves" on the east side and the "have-nots" on the west. They hate each other's guts. There is alot of tension. Now the illegals are pouring in unchecked to make a bad situation worse.

Getting out of Rockford was the best move that I ever made- I just should have done it sooner. It is a lost cause.

[case]

In response to some of the previous posts, Belvidere is growing like mad and problems are developing. There is also an increase in gang problems. Quality home prices seem high to me compared to surrounding areas.
As for Rockford being "a decaying industrial town", I cannot disagree. Many people are working hard to create a better city but it just does not seem to be happening. There are good things happening in the city but it is hard to say if the move would be worth it for you. Sure you may be happy in Rockford, but there is not much going for the city.

[bagiver2]

I've been to Orlando many times. You would probably enjoy east rockford, Roscoe, Rockton or upper Machesney Park. Rentals range from 700 to 1200 on average.

I would think that Winnebago/Pecatonica would be too much of a change as they have a more rural atmosphere and more distance to facilities and ammenities rather than just being "quiet". I am sure that after the rat race of the tourists in Orlando, you are looking to avoid that. (?)

Schools are better in Machesney Park, Rockton and Roscoe than in Rockford. All areas are building as there is an influx of people from Chicago (looking for more affordable housing, even with the commute). You are probably the safest in Rockton/Roscoe, although Machesney Park and North East Rockford are just about as safe. Southeast rockford has started to deteriorate in some areas, and the west side is deteriorated (with the exception of the far north side). There are obvious differences in income and culture between the east and west side. I don't think that the two "hate each others guts" as old engineer puts it. They just integrate as little as possible.

The 1980's were tough on Rockford, but things have changed. It is, after all, 2007. The politicians have done alot to build up business here; we even have a passenger airport.

We have raised several children here(actually in Machesney/Roscoe), and contrary to "old engineer" we find it a very warm and friendly place with alot of opportunity. But then again, life is what you make it.

You can always name streets, places, etc., and we can tell you what we know of them (like the other writer about some apartments).