peoria or bloomington il? (Chicago, Springfield: subletting, apartment, safe neighborhood)

[linicx]

I received your post and I did respond to it.

[odanny]

Originally Posted by linicx

Your surroundings will not be enotirely unfamiliar. Peoria is also progressive, but underneath the glitz, it is a big farm town too, just as is Bloomington, Champaign and Springfield.

Most of your analysis is correct, but Peoria is NOT progressive in the least. Bloomington-Normal is much more progressive than Peoria, politically speaking. When George W. Bush was toxic to Republicans running for reelection in 2008, he was very much welcome during a July 2008 fundraising visit for a local candidate. With the economy in a nosedive, he still sold out a $500.00 a plate fundraiser.

Peoria is very depressed economically. Not alot of good manufacturing jobs are to be found here presently, the areas largest employer, Caterpillar, is laying people off. One area that may be hiring is in the medical fields, as there are multiple hospitals and various medical clinics in the Peoria area.

[LBSer]

odanny: so ur from peoria too. but agrees that b/n is a better choice.

linicx: like i said i think i prefer b/n for some reason i am more inclined to try living there based on the posts i read. thanks for the help though.

i know these places are in Central Illinois. i just heard people from work making a joke on rampant drug use or marijuana plantation in Central Illinois. what can you say.

[steve_holt]

Originally Posted by formerLBS

hey guys.... i found this home for sale for cheap in bloomington:

801 W Monroe Street, Bloomington, IL 61701 - Prudential Snyder Real Estate

what you think of the area? is it near the univ? coz i plan to rent out the extra room. thanks. is this a good buy or not? safe area? flood prone or watev natural disaster? is the property tax in bloomington reasonable?

This is probably the highest crime area of town. Now, there may be good values to be had there, but if you are worried about crime, I would look elsewhere. Also, given the reputation of the area, you may have difficulty renting out a room. This is not particularly close to either university, and students won't venture too far off campus, particularly in a higher crime area.

Originally Posted by formerLBS

what about this? i think this better if this is close to the univ or college schools... this is the best rent income.

Search Atlanta, Lincoln, Mclean Real Estate Listings For Sale

This isn't very close to either university either. But it is a better area than the one above. So if I was choosing between the two, I would opt for this one. But again, I don't think many college students will come out that far.

But I might be wrong about how far students will live off campus - I didn't go to college here, just live here.

[linicx]

Originally Posted by LBSer

odanny: so ur from peoria too. but agrees that b/n is a better choice.

linicx: like i said i think i prefer b/n for some reason i am more inclined to try living there based on the posts i read. thanks for the help though.

i know these places are in Central Illinois. i just heard people from work making a joke on rampant drug use or marijuana plantation in Central Illinois. what can you say.

What I can say is whether you have 70,000 or 300,000 your gonna find hard drugs and pat. There's a joke that was told in this forum that if you worked for State Farm you had ready supply of drungs.

Anyone who tells you Peoria is not progessive has not lived there.. Business Week projected B-N to be the hardest hit in Central Illinois because 1/2 the residents are in thel realestate or the insurance industry. Bloomington is an ultra conservative town.. It's always been on the clannish side to outsiders. I say this with some assurances as married one of the locals. I was an outsider, I'm still the outsider after 30 years. If you want a tight girdle, you will find it in Bloomington. It id no less economically depressed ihat Peoria, for despite the national average, Peoria unemployment is less and Peoria is hiring. Be sure to have a white collar job before you go because that is what Bloomington prides itself on. If B-N is so wonderful, why do their students come to Peoria on weekends, why don't they stay in Bloomington?

[steve_holt]

Originally Posted by linicx

Business Week projected B-N to be the hardest hit in Central Illinois because 1/2 the residents are in thel realestate or the insurance industry.

This Business Week report is a very poor piece of journalism, demonstrating laughable logic. B-N has the highest % of people employed in the financial industry in the country, so the moron bw writer theorized it would be hardest hit by the financial crisis. Of course, B-N's high percent comes almost entirely by State Farm and to a lesser degree Country Financial. Both institutions are extremely strong financially, and sell a product (property/liability insurance) whose demand is not influenced much by recessions. Don't worry - B/N won't be hit nearly as hard as most other areas by the crisis.

Originally Posted by linicx

Bloomington is an ultra conservative town.. It's always been on the clannish side to outsiders. I say this with some assurances as married one of the locals. I was an outsider, I'm still the outsider after 30 years. If you want a tight girdle, you will find it in Bloomington. It id no less economically depressed ihat Peoria, for despite the national average, Peoria unemployment is less and Peoria is hiring. Be sure to have a white collar job before you go because that is what Bloomington prides itself on. If B-N is so wonderful, why do their students come to Peoria on weekends, why don't they stay in Bloomington?

Most people woul disagree with most of this statement. Peoria's unemployment is MUCH higher than Bloomington's (9.1% vs 6.4%), well as higher than the national average (8.5%). Peoria's largest employer (CAT), has just begun their large layoffs, which means the unemployment rate there is set to skyrocket. OTOH, Bloomington always has the lowest unemployment rate in IL, as the demand for the two primarily industries here is inelastic (insurance and education). Ask around - this forum, best places publications, people who've lived in towns. Most reasonable people will agree that Peoria's economy is not nearly as strong as B/N's.

I agree that Bloomington tends to have a white collar / non-white collar divide. There is more of SF/non-SF divide. You'd have to get used to that if you lived here. But a MUCH higher percentage of people in B/N did not grow up there (moved there from elsewhere), where as Peoria has a much higher percentage of lifers.

As far as students hanging out in peoria on the weekend. This is largely because bars close at 4 am in peoria vs 1/2 am in bloomington normal. Also, there are lots of strip clubs in peoria which draw such students, while these are not present in b/n. I personally don't have a problem with the bar closing time or the lack of strip clubs in town. As far as them not staying - most are from Chicago, and most go back. I went to school at UIUC, and most don't stay in Champaign either. It isn't possible with very large universities, as there aren't enough jobs in central IL for all the graduates.

[Jons99]

Originally Posted by linicx

If B-N is so wonderful, why do their students come to Peoria on weekends, why don't they stay in Bloomington?

You have FINALLY found an area where Peoria is better, they have strip joints and bars that stay open until 4... Good job Peoria!

[linicx]

They do? Please tell us where they are Jons99. Big Al's doesn't count, It's been in Peoria more years than you are old - and maybe me too. .

[Jons99]

In the last 6 months have closed both Hoops and Sullys down at 4..

Only strip joints I have been to have been Big Al's and the place across the river...

[linicx]

I am not sure what your statement actually means. Hoops and Sullly's are both open. I just called Hoops and ordered pizza. Sully's has another new location. IF either joint was open past 4am, the cops issue a citation for the after hours violation. Pay the fine.

I am still waiting for you to name ALL the strip "Joints" you say Peoria has..