Wanting to Retire to Centralia, Illiniois (Salem, Odin: mortgage, bad credit, loan)

[CSX321]

Originally Posted by Don Vito

Isn't there a prison in centralia?

Yes, Centralia Correctional Center is a medium-security prison about 5 miles northeast of downtown Centralia. I think there has been some talk about annexing it lately.

[rusjc60]

Yes, there is a prison here in Centralia. I'm not sure how big it is but it does make jobs. I am not sure if it is the same size as Rend Lake Prison in Ina, Illinois.

[Dolly]

Originally Posted by Life is Great

I do not understand the negative attitude toward Centralia. I recently moved my wife and three children to the City and we are absolutely loving it! The City might have gone through a depression recently, but most cities do and they each find a way to overcome their problems. Centralia has a fantastic City administration now that is doing so many progressive things which should have a wonderful impact on the economy in the near future. You should definitely check out their website at City of Centralia, Illinois.::.Official Website. I did not grow up here, but I chose to live and work here over many other options (e.g. I turned down a six figure salary to work at NASA in Houston, TX). You CANNOT beat the affordability of living here, and most people here are incredibly nice. The shopping and recreation opportunities are wonderful, and this is a great place to raise a family. By the way, the hospital is the largest employer, not Kaskaskia College. The City is also growing, not shrinking (the City estimates a population of over 17,000 now); and people are definitely NOT leaving in droves! I love this City!

Who said Kaskaskia College was the largest employer? I didn't see that. I am glad you are happy there but that doesn't mean there are jobs there and without jobs you can't survive long. I figured Wal-Mart was the largest employer in Centralia! It seems that is where most of the Kaskaskia College graduates end up since they can't find work in their field of training in the area. (Also, the reason Wal-Mart in Centralia no longer stays open at night is because of the large amount of theft from the store. When an economy is bad, crime goes up.)

[Jaimes]

The comments about Centralia have been very interesting and informative. My wife and I are planning on retiring in the early part of next year and we've been looking on the Internet at places like Danville, KY, and Chester and Centralia in Illinois. My question is this: Is it really possible to buy a decent house in these areas for less than $40,000? Realtor.com shows several and some of the pictures look very good. But a picture won't tell me about the condition of the house, the neighbourhood and so on. Any help answering this question would be greatly appreciated.

[centralia62801]

I would say if you're retiring I'd say move to Centralia. My husband and I, My mom, my grandparents, and uncle are all moving out of Centralia. A few years back it had a higher crime rate than Chicago. The school system is terrible I agree. I've had a few disagreements with the schools, but we have yet to find and elect a good Mayor.

All they care is dredging raccoon lake (big deal) a waste of money. They need to invest in new sewer systems. The library, a few business' downtown actually had basements flooded. Home's in certain area's have had their basements flood (due to rain and bad sewers).

It's really strange as you drive through the streets to see water actually shooting up about 4" out of the holes from the man hole covers. Eventually they will wisen up, but I hope to be moved out by then. I'm looking toward Odin or Salem, if you know any homes for sale PLEASE contact me!

I own my home in Centralia and I'm willing to sell or trade for a home in Odin/Salem, or even Iuka.. The job issue is really harsh, Min wage is $7.50, most factory jobs (welding) will use temp services and work you up to a year before hiring full time. It all depends. Big 3 is absolutely terrible, they laid my husband off. then hired him right back througth temp a few month's later.. I guess he was earning too much. go figure.

I wish you the best of luck! The only thing good with the school system is Kaskaskia College and their GED courses.

[Dolly]

Odin??? You have to be kidding me! I grew up there and we have never had a decent mayor. The city council are a bunch of red necks who just come to collect their $50.00 a month for showing up at meetings. The town has made no progress in the last 150 years, in fact, has gone backwards. It was like pulling teeth just to get people to support having a library there. There are no businesses and the city doesn't seem to care whether they have business there or not. Let's see, trains waking you up all night long as they blow their whistles at 2 and 4 am, dogs running loose, nothing at all for the kids to do, especially the teens . . . shall I go on? I would move to Salem though, they have a mayor that is respectable and the city is trying to move forward with having more businesses there and supporting the ones that they do have there.

[centralia62801]

Odin is close to Salem. It's a quiet town and I don't mind dogs running loose. I have two children, daughter 7 and my son soon to be 11 . My children can't play outside here without getting called names, or having rocks thrown at them. I recently had rocks thrown at me as I walked down my own alley.

I don't want in a big city, or a small city like Centralia where parents allow their children to roam unsupervised down the streets. My children are with me at all times, they would have plenty to do because we do things as a family. I don't think Odin is a terrible place and I think with how children are today needs to be in a place like Odin.

I'm 29yrs old and realize how parents give their children too much freedom. I definately don't want my daughter growing up with these teen girls who're pregnant. I don't want her to go in that direction so I constantly preach against it and to my son.

Odin, my Grandma and her family were from there and no it hasn't changed much and the trains, they don't bother me. The home I was viewing isn't near the tracks. In any case I preffer a train tooting their horn rather than listening to these raggedy cars bumping music down my streets (sounds like rattling soda cans). I'm also tired of my lazy neighbors honking their horn from midnight til 3am.

Drug dealing, is bad in my neighborhood. I watched right in my back yard yesterday two men exchanged weed for money. This sure isn't the first time either. I wouldn't mind living in Salem, but the taxes, housing cost and everything else is too high. Odin is just a hop away from Salem, I'm able to drive but when the day is done I could go back to quiet little Odin and go to sleep listening to crickets chirp and trains go by, as to listening to my neighbors screaming, gunshots or speeding cars.

To each their own really. To me, Odin is an escape from the real world. As for business' go they have Casey's, and two other cafe`s, two beauty shops, a florist, a couple antique malls, a sports shop, tackle and archery shop. What else do they need?

[Dolly]

Did I mention the school system in Odin is also terrible! Our son was attacked at this "small, safe school" by a bigger, older student. He suffered a concussion from the attack and the school only responded by giving the student an in school suspension. The principal did more complaining about having to give up his free time to spend with this student than he cared about my son's welfare. We pulled him out and home schooled him from then on. There are drugs in Odin too, don't kid yourself.
If you want a progressive small community with good leadership and some actual businesses that are open (not sure where the second cafe is and the second antique mall is that you mention, Carolins is closed and Lincoln Trail Antiques is just staying open enough to get rid of their inventory) I would still stick with Salem. It has a higher income level of people and it is a nice clean little town with a great deal of community pride.

[centralia62801]

Maybe so, I am trying to homeschool my children. I still don't want salem, I can't see paying 50k or more for a large house, which most are not to my taste. I hate ranch style homes. I def. refuse to live in a trailer. Odin (most of my family lives there) I have a large family. so I won't mind.

I just dislike centralia the 3 men who broke in and pistol whipped a man was a few blocks north of me and the one where the 2 men broke in and shot the man in the leg was "near" my home. I live near a bunch of prejudice people. Heck I rather live in Wamac rather than Centralia lmao.. at least they have a good mayor.

I do agree Salem is a nice place "if" you have money. I'm a college student at KC and I wouldn't be able to afford the type of home I want. Unless I'm lucky enough to find it on contract for deed. I have no job which makes things even more difficult, KC is trying to help with job placement. I can't work for the temp agencies *they placed me in Gilster and Swan* Those were both terrible experiences. Besides they pay min wage.. I rather flip burgers for that.

I just want you to know, I probably would move to Salem if I had the funding or right deal, but for now Odin is an option that has cheap homes, and it's an upgrade to my area I live in.

Thanks for the warning about the school.

--Lisa

[Dolly]

I agree, I would not want to live in Centralia, too much crime and lower income level people . . . Odin is a bedroom community, you just sleep there, nothing else going on worthwhile. Did you check into the low income apartments behind McDonalds in Salem? I had a friend that lived there and her apartment was nicer than our house! She was a single mom with two kids working a part time job. I don't know the details of the place but it seemed clean and safe.