Relocating to Rockford

[cavewoman]

Crystal Lake is not an option. The commute is ok if you take the backroads, but you would be in traffic and the winter not great. Taxes in Crystal Lake and the housing stock is nuts. If your working in Rockford...enjoy the house you get there.
Plenty to pick from...everything is going for 20,000 less than it is worth. Great time to buy. Roscoe is awesome, Rockton, Cherry Valley and Winnebago...all have wonderful schools till you get to high school. Then go with Christian Life, Boylan or Rockford Christian or Keith, all right in the center of town. Awesome....The center and west side of Rockford is not the best, but no where compared to what one would call a bad area. I have been here 7 years. Plenty to do... great bang for your buck. Spend a day here visiting...I found my home in Roscoe by owner just driving around.
how old are the kids?

[cavewoman]

Just an FYI...I had a friend who raised a kid in Crystal Lake and had more problems with drugs/gangs then I ever saw here in Rockford. It's all about the numbers...any where that is populated will have bad areas. Another thing is the surrounding areas have fewer rentals...thus less trash.

[Caligirl4u2]

Speaking from experience, I would tell you not to even consider moving to Rockford at all. I do not know what type of research you have done, but Rockford is not a good place to live. The schools suck, there is nothing to do here unless you like to drive, then you can go to Madison Wisconsin or Chicago for your entertainment needs. I made the mistake of moving to Rockford 7 years ago and I am still trying to leave. Once you live here, it is quite difficult to escape. I would rather live in Detroit, MI than to live here. I would really rethink that decision.

[djbridgeland]

I am considering New Hampshire myself. Hell of a lot less crime (the whole state had less murders than Rockford last year), no income or sales tax, about 40% the unemployment rate, you can open carry, and drive without a seat belt or auto insurance. Oh yeah no Blago either.

[Prairiefox]

I don't think we live in the same area. I find plenty of things to do here. Then again, I have a family and am not looking for a city night life. If the people from Kansas want a slower pace life; then maybe this is the area for them. You can live close to town and have horses or other farm animals. I love being able to go to the Coronado and see a concert and be home in 15 minutes and not pay for parking. And in 25 years of going to events downtown, I have never been threaten or had any kind of trouble.

Shocker- come to the town and check it out. Drive around the city, drive to the smaller towns outside and check out places that are similar to were you live now. Do you live in a large city in Kansas? What kind of amenities are you looking for? Go to church here as you mentioned that was important for you. Talk to people in the congregation to get a feel for the area.