Ideas welcome for a new hometown, west/central (Chicago, Peoria: real estate, dorms)
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We are looking to relocate but want to stay in Illinois. We are leaning towards Peoria, Macomb, Springfield general areas but prefer a smaller town. We don't want such a small town that we'd forever be outsiders, but not so large that the kids will be overwhelmed by the schools. We currently live in a town of about 5000 that we have never been happy in.
We would prefer NOT to be in towns that regularly attract severe weather (the lovely but always stormy Lincoln comes to mind). I'd like to be within an hour or so of a decent sized city like Spfld or other.
We'd need to find a house comparable to what we have, in the 80K range if possible in a clean neighborhood.
Any ideas to start my search? Thanks!
Statistically Peoria attracts less tornado type weather because of the nature of its location. Tornaodes typically follow the path of least resisitance which is the Interstate system. In central Illinoiis the tornado seems to gravitate more toward I=55 and 474. The 474 tornado seems to touch down around Galesburg more than Peoria. The I-74 activity seems to bounce around Morton, Wasthington, Metamora and East Peoria areas. .
Peoria has the largest MSA area - which includes 5 counties - at a little under 400,000. Peoria also has a diverse culture and religous community. It has onr of if not the largest park districts outside of Chicago with 60+ parks that include a top rated zoological park, obsrvatory and botianical gardens. It is hard to name a sport that Peoria doesn't have including skeet, pro hockey, sailing and GPS mountain biking. Peoria also offes upscale shopping and dining, fresh fish store, large natural foods store, most of the national box stores and chain restaurants and a lot of activities for families.
Peoria has three hospitals and a medical school, and at least one after-hours clinic that is open until 11pm most nights. There is one hospital in each of the other Peoria MSA counties. By and large it seems that for the towns surrounding it, Peoria, is where those residents seem to come for ER and hospital care.
With the information you have provided, I would suggest that you to look at Peoria Heights. It is a village of approximately 6500 that shares a city border with Peoria. It is a desireable location and the K-12 school system is highly regarded. PH is independent of, and separate from, Peoria. I've looked at a lot of US weather reports and did not find once instance of any tornadic activity in Peoria Heights. PH is less than five miles from both malls and all the major shopping areas, plus it is less than five miles from the nearest hospital. PH is also a few short blocks from the main park and zoo, and not too far from the observatory, golf courses, etc.. .
When your children are ready for college, they have a choice of 2 private universites, I state university and three colleges within 35 miles. Within 100 miles you'll find at least four other schools. Most of the schools are accessible by Amtrack and campus housing is available.
I've lived in Central Illinois for many years. I cannot think of any village or small town that offers the conveniences and a K-12 school system in town. For instance I had reason to check with E.P, school district. K-2, 3-5, 6-9 and 10-12 are different buildings in different parts of town. I cannot imagin living in East Peoria with three children in school unles they are triplets. It would take 2 hours every day to take them to school and pick them up.
PH has four schools, a private Catholic school, a private Christian school, a public elementary school and a public high school. Your children will be together in the same school until high school. One other thing, since Peoria Heights is in the county and not in the City of Peoria, real estate taxes are lower.
I should have mentioned that unlike other areas of Illinois, Peoria is surrounded by rolling hills and high heavily forested bluffs, The views of the Illinois River Valley from Grandview Drive in Peoria Heights are spectular.
IF you have questions feel fee to ask.
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Last edited by linicx; 05-10-2009 at 10:40 PM..
Reason: edit
I can second the Peoria area. I never lived there other than in dorms, but I visit a lot and the whole Illinois river valley is quite lovely. There are some bad spots in actual downtown Peoria itself, but in general, it has a lot to offer.
I'd also recommend some of the towns around the state colleges as you could find a nice home in your range in some of the smaller towns in the surrounding areas.
Weather wise, it's a bit difficult to pick a spot that you can be absolutely sure of decreased severe weather. You could probably check some of the data on NOAA, but I think the tornadoes, hailstorms, and other severe weather are pretty evenly distributed. I've lived a few years in southern Illinois, central Illinois, East Central, and several places in northern Illinois and Chicago itself,and it seems like the tornadoes/straight-line winds/downbursts always find me. Haven't lived or visited the Western part of the state though yet.
I agree there are nice towns around colleges. You still have the same problem. You're 35 -90 miles from your husband's job, and if you are in a rural area you'll live with tornadic activitiy. The last tornado in Mason County cut a a mile wide path through corn and beans for five miles. I think this might have been the tornado that hit Springfield first. The good news is Peoria is not in Tornado Alley. I lived there for a number years. My MIL as quite ill. We spent as much time in IL as we did in MO or OK> What happens around Peoria is a piece of cake compared to the towns located near the Interstate that were flattened.. PH is protected by the hdeavily forested high bluffs. It would take a tornado of great intensity to jump the bluffs. It is extremely unlikely as it has not happened in more than 50 years. All of my weather facts come from NOAA and first person newspaper accounts.
If you live out, don't forget the miles of driving on ice and snow to get to work and home. It sounds rude, but it is what it is. Lousy winter weather is one of the reasons there are seven bridges to carry traffic between Peoria County and the surrounding areas. .
Below is a tornado activity chart for each county in central Illinois 1950-2007. The counties listed roughly correspond to an area that extends from Galesburg to Soringfield and includes Bloomington plus the Peoria MSA five counties of Woodrord, Peoria, Tazewell, Fulton and Mason. Clicking on a town name/Number will correstpond to the same number in the detailed information listed in the section below the tornado activity chart for each county.
The final link is a chart that lists every county in Illinois and the date of each tornado in that county. .You can compare the number of tornadoes in your present county to every other county in central Illinos.
You will notice that McLean County (Bloominton area) had the greatest activity with 97 tornadoes and Peora County had the least activity with 13 tornadoes.
Rochester(~3,000) and Chatham(~11,000) are both nice, very good suburbs of Springfield. Petersburg (~3,000, about 25 min NW of Spfld) is in a more scenic area, but I would choose to live closer to Spfld, personally.
Rochester(~3,000) and Chatham(~11,000) are both nice, very good suburbs of Springfield. Petersburg (~3,000, about 25 min NW of Spfld) is in a more scenic area, but I would choose to live closer to Spfld, personally.
According to NOAA tornadoes touched down in the Chatham and Rochester areas. Menard County also had a tornado touch down not far from Petersburg.
I'm not saying tornadoes aren't found near or around Springfield; I simply said those places are near Springfield and nice places to live.
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Haven't lived or visited the Western part of the state though yet.
