Interracial couple moving to Collinsville, IL (Chicago, Belleville: military, for sale, hotels)

[JD-n-Ria]

My job is transferring me to Collinsville, IL. My wife and I are an interracial couple and are wondering if the area is receptive to couples like us. If not, what areas do you recommend? Thanks in advance.

[aragx6]

I would consider posting this in the St. Louis forum. Seems most of the folks on the Illinois forum are upstaters, not downstaters. I grew up in St. Louis- but on the MO side. I know Collinsville used to be far more rural, but it's been growing...

[Muri]

I have enjoyed living in Collinsville, IL. My complex has a mixture of young, old, very old, black, white and military folks. I live very, very close to shopping areas, restaurants and hotels. People seem pretty accomodating. I am a white, female professional with black, asian and hispanic friends. I have not had any problems. Have you found a place to live? My townhouse is for sale. It' in a great location! Good luck. I am moving closer to family members.

[illini84]

Yeah, Collinsville is fine. It's a nice community. It's close enough to St. Louis that you still get a wide range of people. I wouldn't really venture out any further than Collinsville though because it can get pretty rural and closed-minded in a hurry. Some other areas in the St. Louis metro area I might recommend are Fairview Heights and Belleville (both on the Illinois side) and Clayton or Brentwood (both on the Missouri side).

[linicx]

Originally Posted by JD-n-Ria

My job is transferring me to Collinsville, IL. My wife and I are an interracial couple and are wondering if the area is receptive to couples like us. If not, what areas do you recommend? Thanks in advance.

It is cheaper to live in MO than in IL. St Louis is most certainly bi-racial.
One of the top rated hospitals in US is Barnes-Jewish in St, Louis. You'll also find Trader Joe's and Cosco. The downside is traffic. It's horrendous between there and Collinville. Most of our clannish little "good ol' boy white towns aren't emotionally adult enough for a bi-racial couple. And they don't have a black church, etc..

I've driven through Collinsville a zillion times. What used to bee a little hick white town with McDonald's and the State Police and not much else is now a sprawling bedcoom community of metropolitan St. Louis. You probably ought to come on down and check it out before you make a decision about any community.

[JD-n-Ria]

Thanks everyone for all the feedback. I'm due to the area in a few weeks, and my wife and I plan on going up there for a day or two while I am still on vacation. To answer the previous question, I am looking for housing. We've been looking online, and a lot of Fairview Heights locations are matching what we're looking for.

[ilikeairplanes]

Originally Posted by illini84

Yeah, Collinsville is fine. It's a nice community. It's close enough to St. Louis that you still get a wide range of people. I wouldn't really venture out any further than Collinsville though because it can get pretty rural and closed-minded in a hurry. Some other areas in the St. Louis metro area I might recommend are Fairview Heights and Belleville (both on the Illinois side) and Clayton or Brentwood (both on the Missouri side).

If shes concidering Collinsville, I doubt Clayton is really an option.

[SFBornandRaised]

I am part of an interratial couple from the San Francisco Bay Area - so the midwest in general is a culture shock...

We live in Fairview Heights which has a diverse population (well, excluding asian or latino). There is a large Military community near Scott AFB so influx of many types of people all the time.

I have never had any issues and people here are ok ....All depends on where you are coming from. It's not like Alabama.....or the rest of the South. But not as cool as Chicago. And no comparison to the West.

Collinsville is a bit of a "small" town in many different ways. I would try to stay around anywhere with a Starbuck's.

From Fairview Heights you are 12 minutes to DT STL - there is a TON to do in the city - a lot of bands/arts/shows/funky shops GREAT restaurants too. (go to SauceMagazine.com for the lowdown - helped us out a bit) etc .

Good Luck!

[silverthunder]

JD n Ria: coming from an interracial couple (i lived in collinsville for many years before moving to Los Angeles): you probably won't have too many problems, but there definitely is a good ole boy attitude there - but many of those folks are beginning to die off. It's a nice bedroom community (low taxes and easy access to the interstate). My husband and I like the area overall - quick access to st louis and all of its venues, and a quick retreat to this little town - major problems are theft, and not much else. We have had a few incidents with people, but we know that, as I am sure you do. Gettin' blindsided is definitely alive and well here, but we got a thick skin. Good luck. Downtown is not developed yet. Edwardsville is a nice community perhaps you should consider that as well.

[NancyMilton]

Hi, JD-n-Ria: My most recent customers were an interracial couple who were buying a lot in Collinsville to build their dream house. I think you'll find it a very welcoming community with a great, diverse variety of people everywhere. As other posters mentioned, the proximity to St. Louis and an easy commute on all the local interstates is also a plus. [mod cut]