How do you like living in Central IL? (Peoria, Springfield: to relocate, retired)

[linicx]

Originally Posted by Jons99

Peoria high society????

Lets not forget to mention that their schools are amongst the worst in the state...

Are you perhaps confused? Peoria's social society has nothing to do with the Peoria School District. The Superintendant and the school board make all the decisions concerning the schools.

I don't know that I would agree that they are the worst in the state as three in my family were teachers with many years service to Peoria schools.

In my opinion all public school systems are in trouble for a lot of reasons, but mostly because of indifference from the student to the parent right up the food chain to the Superintendent's door.

I had an excellent education and so did my parents who graduated ffom Manual and Central. My son graduated from Richwoods with honors. Peoria school system is not nearly as bad as some of the other areas I lived in. And it is not nearly as bad as it is painted.

[Granny Sue]

Originally Posted by linicx

Wanna trade? Actually I've been to Lacon a few times and I like it. The last time I was there was to get a duck. I wonder if the duck blinds are still there ?

I don't remember if it is Marshall or Stark County that is highly unusual as the county is divided by the river.

I always liked Peoria and after 25 years in the Ozarks I couldn't wait to come home. We ought to chat off post.

Actually, It's my Dad's house, he up and moved over to Washington. And I believe it's Marshall County.
I lived there when Pabst Blue Ribbon closed. Big doings then.
I graduated from Limestone and was one of the origial crew members of the Bartonville McDonalds....yep that's my claim to fame.

[Dreickx]

Central Illinois has few trees, unless you're along the rivers. It also is densely populated with many major highways. The natural world has almost been exterminated in favor of row crops and cities, except in some areas like Mason County. The state parks are pretty manmade; lots of man-made lakes, planted forests, and little very natural. I'm looking to move somewhere more isolated and I live in one of the most isolated parts of central Illinois, except for Mason County perhaps. In any case, Champaign-Urbana and Bloomington-Normal are not bad towns. I lived in Normal for a few months and I liked it a lot better than Chicago, but it is pretty boring in comparison. I think of Decatur as being poor and rust-belt like Kankakee, but I've never been there so that may be completely wrong. Another thing about Central Illinois, especially Bloomington-Normal and Champaign-Urbana--it's very windy compared to most states east, north, and south of Illinois. It's the effect of being an open plain. Weather will be less snowy than Michigan in most winters. Summers will be hotter.

[linicx]

If you want to live isolated, you might like the area around Grove Oklahoma or NE Arkansas. If you live on the forest bed, and think like an Indian. no one will find you because there won't be a clue. It is beautiful country. I lived in that area for a number of years and loved it.

[Central Illinois 1]

Central Illinois is a mixed bag although really nothing out of the ordinary. The major cities (Springfield, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, and Champaign) have most of the conveniences that you would find in other midwestern cities of their size. To most people moving in, there would not really be anything overly-spectacular or novel about these places. But they do all have the essentials in terms of dining, shopping, socializing, and basic cultural events. The smaller rural communities tend to be VERY rural (culturally and otherwise). This is especially true the farther south that you go in the state - which can be a reall good or really bad thing depending on what you are looking for. Alot of the small towns are dying economically and many towns with less than 1000 population have virtually nothing businesses-wise. The terrain is primarily blah in Central Illinois although areas around the rivers are beautiful (esp. around Peoria and Quincy). Coming from Michigan, you should be pleasantly surprised with the weather. We are really out of the major snow-belt here and that is especially true for areas south of about Bloomington-Normal. Springfield has the Lincoln Sites, Champaign-Urbana has the U of I, B/N has Illinois State University and State Farm, and Peoria has Caterpillar Corp. and, to me anyway, has a little more of the appearance and feel of a larger city - which again, can be good or bad, depending on what you are looking for. The cost of living is well below the national average throughout Central Illinois (although the upscale areas in the bigger cities are very pricey just like anywhere else). Both Chicago and St. Louis are easy driving distances from the area. Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this region a solid "5". PS - Whatever you do, stay out of the state politics here! It is nasty stuff that can ruin your life.

[cap1717]

Peoria is pretty nice, Decatur (well, I did my student teaching there, and I was not favorably impressed), but if I had my choice, I would head to Bloomington Normal. . . in fact, if I ever win the lottery, I will buy a summer home there. . . love the place!

[Central Illinois 1]

Originally Posted by cap1717

Peoria is pretty nice, Decatur (well, I did my student teaching there, and I was not favorably impressed), but if I had my choice, I would head to Bloomington Normal. . . in fact, if I ever win the lottery, I will buy a summer home there. . . love the place!

No way! And you live in Phoenix? No offense to my nearby neighbors in B/N (and B/N is an OK place), but if I won the lottery (the BIG lottery), I would opt for maybe Tahoe, Aspen, Hawaii, or pretty much anyplace along the CA coast instead.

[linicx]

I've lived in B-N, and Peoria, and spent a considerable time in Springifled. I can list a dozen things that B-N and Springfield does not have that Peoria does. It is anot a typical midwestern town based on its population. By the way, does Bloomington still have the Jewish deli downtown, or the book binder?

[concretebox]

Having lived in Champaign 11 years. I can say without a doubt the most depressing part of living here is the weather. Champaign is as flat as a tabletop and with no outdoor activities during the winter. Indoor winter activities include Illinois basketball and other sports, local and touring music (venues include cramped dives that will make your ears bleed to the 50,000 seat basketball arena), blockbuster and popular "independent" films, and a few live theatres. Indoor exercise is harder to come by unless you're a student or employee of the University, or pay are large monthly gym fee. There is only one indoor rock-climbing wall, and you have to be a University employee or student to use it (Decatur's DISC has us beat on this, but then again, you'd have to be IN Decatur (scary) to use it :-)).

In spring and summer it's quite a different story. There are outdoor food, music, film, and arts festivels. Champaign's City parks have little to offer, but nearby state and county parks have hiking, biking, camping, and canoeing activities.

Central Illinois has it's ups and downs, but cost of living is much lower than the Chicago area. Traffic is usually much better too (though beware of Champaign during home football/basketball games). Oh, and I-57 between Champaign and Chicago turns into a racetrack on Friday and Sunday nights, as the studnets and other communiters try to break land speed records in route to/from Chicago.

There's more culture, but at a higher cost of living and higher crime in and near Chicago, and more outdoor fun and (slightly) milder winters in the southern tip, and even cheeper housing costs, but with much less big-city conviences and less culture. Central Illinois has a good balence and is close to Chicago, St. Louis, Indiaoplis and the Shawnee National Forest.

All that being said, if I had job offer in a warmer place I'd move there in a minute.

[linicx]

Peoria does offer outdoor activities all year. If you do not mind the cold wether there is always something to do.