There's no place like home! BUT WHERE IS THAT? (Chicago: new home, neighborhood)

[Gypsy-Dancer]

In about a year my husband and I will FINALLY be able to settle after many moves around CA and the South West Area. While these areas have been good to us, they lack in some things I would like in a place where I settle FOR GOOD.

I lived the first 6 years of life on the east coast and spent a few summers there as an older kid and am enamored with it from my memories of it. I believe the somewhere on the East Coast or Mid West I may able to find my perfect location. (Hopefully someone on here can help me!)

I'm posting this in several different states I feel may be ones that have towns or cities that fit this criteria, but if you have a suggestion of another town in a different state, I'm open to all ideas.

Here's what I am looking for in a new home and community.

I want to live somewhere:

- Where it's very green and lush with nature, and grass, and hills, and lots and lots of trees, especially deciduous trees.

- Where is gets four distinct seasons, of snow in the winter, rain and new growth in the spring, warm or hot weather in the summer, and deciduous trees that change color in the fall with all the traditional orange, red and yellow colors all over the landscape.

- Where the community has a central hub where locals hang out, (maybe like a main street or central park) and where community events take place. Where there are events that focus on local sports for kids, and theater and art. Where there are festivals and such several times a year or farmer's market's, etc.

- Where there are pick your own produce orchard and or farms no great than 60-120 miles outside of town.

- Where there are hiking or bike trails near by and or parks where one could walk, bike, or rollerblade in the warmer months.

- Where the town has a small town feel, although it doesn't have to be small. It could be anywhere from 500 to 50,000+ so long as it has a feeling of unity and such in the community with events, and rec center for youth and adults and what not.

- Where gardening is good and you don't have to work really hard (like 2-3 years) before you can get things to grow even remotely in your back yard soil.

- Where there is a major city of over 100,000 within about 60 miles that has a college or colleges, and a Sam's Club or Costco like shopping center.

- Where cost of living isn't through the roof. (Example standard house of 3br/2bath 1500 sq. ft. costing $700,000 is too much in my opinion) My thresh hold for a house of this type costing too much would be $400,000.

- Here is a strange request but I would like there to be a ballroom dance studio and theater group in the city/town. (If not in town I can settle for it being in the major city just outside of town)

- And here is the strangest request yet, but I would like to find a community that is fairly split in its political preference of both republican and democrat. Or at least not heavily one and really skimpy on another.

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR THE TIME ANYONE TAKES TO RESPOND.

[paxquest]

Wilmette, a northshore suburb of Chicago has some homes that are within your price range. Absolutely wonderful location if you can tolerate midwestern winters.

[Gypsy-Dancer]

Originally Posted by paxquest

Wilmette, a northshore suburb of Chicago has some homes that are within your price range. Absolutely wonderful location if you can tolerate midwestern winters.

What do you mean by midwestern winters? Long? Really cold? or both? Thanks so much.

[Steve-o]

Sounds like Galena, IL is 100% absolutely perfect for you.

[linicx]

I would suggest Peoria for a couple of reasons. 1-Black loam; the perfect grwowing medium. 2-Ballroom. You can teach ballroom at the Park District building and get paid for it. Ballroom is popular. 3. One of, it not the Largest park district outside of Chicago. 3- Upscale shopping and dining as well as two malls and several small shopping centers anchored with a large store; we call them strip malls. 4-Four seasons. Lots of very old deciduous trees in the nills and hollers. 5- Most every sport and outdoor event you can name, an a few you can't. 6-.You can buy a comfortable 3b with garage and basement in an established, good, convenient neighborhood for 200k. You can also spend 3M if you want.

Homeschool, private school, church school, public school, gifted school, university and college. Country clubs, private clugs, social clubs, fraternal clubs, hunting, fishimg, boating. Performing arts, hiking, biking, walking, swiming, ice skating, bowling, golfing, two semi-pro sports teams, regional state fair, riverfront plaza, award wining zoo. Very diverse mix of culture, politics and religion. Surrounded by rolling hills, forrested bluffs, state parks and nice people. Two marina's, 60+ Parks and 60 miles of shoreline you don't clean up. Three hospitals, medical school, first class medical community. Progressive. Several nice subs nearby.

Costco, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Ikea in Chicago. Costco and perhap's Ikea are the only stores not in the Loop. Peoria has the Sam's club, Walmart, Walgreen's, Kroger's/Ralph's and Aldi's. The Peoria metro area includes four other counties I did not mention.

Peoria sprawls like Chicago and therefore does not have that crowded, boxed in feeling like some towns and it does have great traffic flow. Now, because Il is farming state, most residents are down to earth and good neighbors.

If you spend 3-4 days, poke around and talk to people, you'll know quickly whether or not you'd like to retire in Peoria area or not. .If you decide you'd like to look around I'll give you a detailed map of areas I think you might like to live, and things you might like to check out.

[Maintainschaos]

I would suggest Madison, WI.

[sgresident]

many of the western suburbs of chicago would fit you quite nicely!

[Scio42]

Hi Gypsy-Dancer,

Although this is an Illinois forum, after reading your criteria, the Midwestern city that first springs to mind is Madison, WI. It meets all your criteria except the 500 - 50,000+ population. Madison pop is around 225,000, but it doesn't really feel crowded. Madison is also more liberal than conservative, but not completely lopsided.

In the parts of Illinois I'm familiar with, the places that are closest to meeting your criteria are:
- One of the smaller towns or "suburbs" surrounding Peoria (e.g. Peoria Heights first springs to mind)
- Carbondale
- Galena (I agree with Steve-o)

[Havasu]

Lake Geneva,Wi