Decatur Illinois (Peoria, Springfield, Champaign: appointed, crime, lawyers)

[HollyhockGarden]

How about the Lincoln, Nebraska area? It is not too big, but large enough to find a job. There are rolling hills and pretty, tree-lined streets. Good schools and colleges, too. Indiana and Michigan and Ohio have reasonably-priced real estate--but that's because the locals have been layed off and jobs are difficult to find. I think Indianapolis is doing okay, though. If you can learn to live on less money, for example, walking to work and driving a car very little, and eating at home, and finding cheap entertainment, you may do fine in a smaller community. Be sure to evaluate the availability of healthcare and health insurance before you settle down. There are lots of things to consider. Remember, HMO's usually do not operate in smaller communities and you may have to pay for a traditional 80/20 type of health insurance, which can be hard on the budget.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by HollyhockGarden

How about the Lincoln, Nebraska area? It is not too big, but large enough to find a job. There are rolling hills and pretty, tree-lined streets. Good schools and colleges, too. Indiana and Michigan and Ohio have reasonably-priced real estate--but that's because the locals have been layed off and jobs are difficult to find. I think Indianapolis is doing okay, though. If you can learn to live on less money, for example, walking to work and driving a car very little, and eating at home, and finding cheap entertainment, you may do fine in a smaller community. Be sure to evaluate the availability of healthcare and health insurance before you settle down. There are lots of things to consider. Remember, HMO's usually do not operate in smaller communities and you may have to pay for a traditional 80/20 type of health insurance, which can be hard on the budget.

As long as we're on the theme of university towns outside of Illinois, I recently spent some time in Lawrence Kansas. Nice area, more scenic than you'd guess of stereotypically flat Kansas. There are some very nice rolling hills in the area. I found the atmosphere to be a bit more vibrant than Champaign-Urbana and property values are reasonable and rising. It's a short drive to Kansas City if you need something of an urban experience. I would suggest getting more info in the Kansas threads.

[JamesinFW]

I went to decatur on business once. Driving down Illinois 48 from I72 then east on US36, I noticed it had a bad smell that was throughout the entire city from it's older factories.

I wasn't too impressed with the city, but I only drove in it for about a half hour before getting to my destination. (I installed the phone system in that carmike owned cinema off US36 & Illinois 121)

[Drover]

Originally Posted by JamesinFW

I went to decatur on business once. Driving down Illinois 48 from I72 then east on US36, I noticed it had a bad smell that was throughout the entire city from it's older factories.

That was from the soybean processing plant.

[JamesinFW]

ah I see, I figured it was some sort of sulfur.

[Switch625]

That stench isn't toxic, it just smells awful.

[ecanham]

Hey I'm 17 and I've lived in Decatur all my life. My view of Decatur is that it is a blue collar industrial town. I go to a public high school here so i probably see the worst of our population everyday. The public schools here are not good at all and getting worse by the year. The central part of the city is the worst there are a lot of gang problems in the "inner" part of the city. It's not all bad though, there are some very nice parts of the city. Also Mt. Zion and forsyth are very nice. The shopping here isn't that good though, you'll have to go to springfield or peoria for any decent shopping.

[debrar2195]

I am looking for my adopted brother, am posting everywhere in and around Decatur, he was borned in Decatur in August of 1958 at St. Marys hosp. If you can help me please respond. Thanks Debbie

[c.adam]

My wife is from Decatur, and my Father-In-Law works for the city. I went to the University there (Millikin), as did my wife.

Once thing not mentioned is the air pollution quality. It's not too great. You have high mold count, and your bread WILL get moldy quicker than any other place I've lived, including other places in the state of Illinois.

ADM has a huge presence in town, heck.. they own the town.

The city itself isn't bad. Nothing spectacular either... it has everything a suburb of chicago has, since most people consider "something to do" to mean shopping. Chicago and St Louis are readily accessible, so that's a nice thing as well..

I for once fell in love with Alaska, so I only return to visit family

[star13]

Wionee... What else are you looking for besides cheaper home prices? Do you want to live in a small town, or do you want a bigger city?
I have visited Decatur once, and I agree with everyone else that the smell is a little overwhelming. Decatur has a reputation among other Central IL towns as being incredibly smelly.
...Let us know what else you're looking for.