moving to rantoul area from southwest florida (Chicago, Peoria: rentals, crime)

[mrsrobbyb]

I am moving to the Rantoul area in about a month from Florida. I grew up in Peoria but do not know this area very well. Any suggestions on where to rent, good and reasonable daycares and a good place to work? My husband is going to be working in Champaign but we would like to live a little outside of the city. Any help would be appreciated!
Thank you!

[peanuteminem]

Eesh.

I would second guess Rantoul as a spot if I were you. It used to house an Air Force base that closed many years ago and the community has never recouped...in fact, many people think it's getting worse in the past few years.

I live in Champaign and work in Rantoul and what's happened is that due to the myriad of rentals available (leftovers from the base) the rent is dirt cheap...bringing in a lot of people from the north (Kankakee, Chicago even) that are looking for a cheap place to live. Not exactly a great crowd, unfortunately. There are good people in government working hard to change things but it's really an uphill battle. Everything is very old and kinda dirty. The biggest business that's opened in the last year has been a Burger King...which I think is our seventh fast food joint.

If you are looking for something outside of Champaign to commute from, try Mahomet or Savoy (if you've got the money) or Philo, Sadorus, St. Joseph, Fisher, for more reasonable home prices. The second batch, however, are in very small towns without much going on though.

Good luck

[bellypotamus]

I agree with the other poster's assessement...I would NOT recommend Rantoul for a good place to live...cheaper living, yes, but the area has some BIG problems...I should know, we moved from Indy to Rantoul temporarily about 5 months ago, since my husband's job is in Rantoul. We rented via his workplace in some rental duplexes where the old airforce base was. Thus far, we have had 4 bikes stolen, a bank robbery took place and the robber had a police stand off for 4 hours just 5 duplexes down from us, and I have been approached by unsavory characters at the gas station,the grocery store, and my daughter also at the local library. It has a new Wal-mart Supercenter which is nice and some good fast food places...but as far as a place to live, I do not recommend it at all!!!!!! If at all possible, look on the outer edge towns as stated by another poster. We did a lot of seraching and Mahomet, Fisher, St. Joseph, and even Monticello are way better. (we are moving to Fisher)The best of luck to you!

[Switch625]

Living in Rantoul wouldn't be dangerous in the way a big city slum would be dangerous, but the place is run down and rather dingy. The plusses are cheap rent and cheap utilities - Rantoul has it's own power plant - but that's about all it has going for it.

[Drover]

Uhm.... the original post is nearly a year and a half old. I think she's got it sorted out by now.

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by Drover

Uhm.... the original post is nearly a year and a half old. I think she's got it sorted out by now.

lol. seriously, whats with the random bumps.

[Switch625]

That'll teach me to read the opening post more closely.

[joshua todd]

Originally Posted by mrsrobbyb

I am moving to the Rantoul area in about a month from Florida. I grew up in Peoria but do not know this area very well. Any suggestions on where to rent, good and reasonable daycares and a good place to work? My husband is going to be working in Champaign but we would like to live a little outside of the city. Any help would be appreciated!
Thank you!

Hello my name is josh I'm also from fort lauderdale and just recently moved to rantoul Illinois and the best advice I could give is don't move into golf veiw due to bad maintnance on their buildings and crime and try to avoid moving into a complexe called south point crime is worse there job wise there aren't a whole lot but you might look in champagne that would be your best chance on finding a job it took me a month but finally got one make sure you bring all your references cause they will call them.but just to let you know the people are freindly but don't know how to drive and theres no traffic which is a plus good luck I hope this helps..

[Drover]

Originally Posted by joshua todd

Hello my name is josh I'm also from fort lauderdale and just recently moved to rantoul Illinois and the best advice I could give is don't move into golf veiw due to bad maintnance on their buildings and crime and try to avoid moving into a complexe called south point crime is worse there job wise there aren't a whole lot but you might look in champagne that would be your best chance on finding a job it took me a month but finally got one make sure you bring all your references cause they will call them.but just to let you know the people are freindly but don't know how to drive and theres no traffic which is a plus good luck I hope this helps..

Just so you know, the post you're responding to is 3 years old.