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Old 03-17-2011, 10:25 AM
 
3 posts, read 32,903 times
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We're a couple with no kids, and we both work from home. We really like peace and quiet. We moved to Mchenry county, but we're still close to neighbors. We'd really like to move to a rural county and have a smaller house on a few acres. Small house, huge lot, no neighbors.

Can anyone recommend nice, safe, rural areas in illinois? It doesn't have to be close to Chicago, but at least close to a town. Perhaps a farming town. Can be pretty much anywhere in Illinois. We're just not too familiar with areas too far south. Thanks in advance!
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Old 03-17-2011, 12:01 PM
 
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Pretty much anything west of 47 will have you in the sticks. Dekalb or sycamore would be a good choice for a rural area, but still a town to go to if need be.
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Old 03-17-2011, 01:26 PM
 
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Sounds good. Are those areas safe to your knowledge?
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Old 03-17-2011, 01:41 PM
 
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I wouldn't suggest DeKalb or Sycamore. They are basically part of the Chicago Metro area at this point. They will only grow more and more in the coming years.
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Old 03-17-2011, 05:57 PM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,535 posts, read 30,123,302 times
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If you want to stay around I-80 and have the convenience of a train into the city, then look around Princefille. It is a very nice small town. it is lovely area.

As you go farther south you are in the plains surrounded by 1000 acre farms. Because it is flat and generally good ground you won't find much for sale in large lots or small acreage. However, if you are around the Illinois River Valley, it is hilly country and much easier to find smaller parcels of land. I know the area fairly well. You can be 3 miles from a town and still be isolated. The downside is when you live on a county road that is not a main route and you are not near neighbors you'll need a 4x4 in the winter - especially if it is a bad one like this year.

I like these areas for its natural beauty and the wind breaks. Menard between Petersburg and Oakford in Mason, southern Mason, west Fulton between Lewistown and the river, between Astoria and Mt. Sterling, Woodford between Metamora and Eureka, and Tazewell County north of Washington. You might like the area between Dunlap and Lacon, too. These are Isolated areas of small towns that are 15-20 miles apart, and removed from Interstate routes. These are mixed areas of large farms, small towns and heavily forested, hilly, areas. Fair warning; the river floods, so look at the flood plain maps that can be found in every county courthouse. Realtors should know too, due to federal flood insurance.

I don't know what you have in mind, but most counties have zoning laws.

I should add that since you work from home Internet connection will probably be a problem unless AT&T or.Comcast serves the area. Neither is rural. If you want broadband that works as it should you will be better served by staying near Chicago. Living rural is a trade-off. The Internet and city services are just two of the many. It gets complicated. But generally speaking you can have the rural *feel* yet live in a small county seat and have a very decent Internet. If you DM me, I can tell you who does not - from personal experience.

Last edited by linicx; 03-17-2011 at 06:58 PM..
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Old 03-18-2011, 02:22 PM
 
Location: NE Illinois
28 posts, read 81,737 times
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I'm from LaSalle-Peru and there are still many outlying rural area within 10 miles. There are all the conveniences you need in L-P, and still affordable acreage outside town limits. I still get down there from time to time (from nothern suburbs) and love it. Good Luck in your search.
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Old 03-19-2011, 06:49 PM
 
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I have 10 acre lot for sale in Southern Will County if land is of interest, electricity is to site. It is located in Custer Park, IL. Nice area because it consists of all farming area but the town of Braidwood is close and taxes are extremely cheap in the Township. Nice lot to hobby farm have animals, outbuildings etc. Good Luck finding the perfect place.
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Old 03-19-2011, 07:43 PM
 
Location: Chicago
38,707 posts, read 102,763,232 times
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Outside the Chicago and St. Louis metro areas, the landscape gets rural real quick once you get outside the metro's main city. Places like Champaign/Urbana or Decatur or the like will have about one ring of suburbs, and then farmland. So it really comes down to what part of the state you want to live in. If you want to live in the central part, look at rural areas near Peoria or Springfield or Bloomington. If you prefer to stay up north, look outside of Rockford or the Quad Cities. Even the Illinois side of metro St. Louis gets rural about 20 miles max from STL, so if you want to live in the southern part of the state, just outside the Metro East area is an option too.
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Old 03-28-2011, 04:00 PM
 
Location: Chicago, IL SouthWest Suburbs
3,522 posts, read 6,071,957 times
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You may like it down around watseka, Illinois
Manteno, IL
Gardner, IL
These are areas in NE Illinois not too too far away from Kankakee , bradley area
maybe 30 mins or so....
chicago would be a little over an hour
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