What kind of neighborhood... (Chicago, Canton: crime, home, neighborhoods)

[mamajonna]

I was offered to relocate to Fairview. I know nothing of the State or the area. Can anybody tell me if it would be a good place to move to and if it's a safe place to raise a 3 year old? A friend of a friend knows of somebody living on 2nd Street. I noticed railroad tracks on the map close to that street. My guess is that you can hear the trains going by. Also, it always seemed to me to be in bad neighborhoods were located close to tracks. I've noticed that race seems to be any issue in some of others postings. Thank you for any input!

[Paxtonian]

Assuming your Fairview is that small town near Canton, I wouldn't worry greatly about it. I've never been to the place, but the crime statistics are favorable. As for the railroad, in small towns nearly everything is near the railroad, it isn't a big deal. You really ought to go have a look at the place before moving there, that's what I'd do.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by mamajonna

I noticed railroad tracks on the map close to that street. My guess is that you can hear the trains going by. Also, it always seemed to me to be in bad neighborhoods were located close to tracks. I've noticed that race seems to be any issue in some of others postings. Thank you for any input!

"Bad neighborhoods"??? Fairview is a town of 500 people, 8 blocks long by 5 blocks wide. There are no "neighborhoods" much less bad ones. The whole town is a single neighborhood. Additionally, I don't see how there could be race issues in a town where there are fewer than 5 minorities. There just don't seem to be a lot of opportunities for racial issues to even arise. Now, if you yourself are a minority, be prepared to become a town novelty.

As for railroad tracks, they are just a fact of life in Illinois; there are more miles of track in this state than any other in the union. They are particularly a fact of life in small towns, most of which exist precisely because of they are on a railroad line.

BTW, Fairview is out in the middle of Assthorn Nowhere. What on Earth would cause you to relocate there?

[Switch625]

Fairview would be a very safe place to raise a child. Crime in tiny towns like that is pretty much non-existent as everyone knows everyone else. The big drawback to raising a child in such a small town is a lack of anything interesting to do locally. If you don't mind a lot of driving, or you don't mind your child hanging around home playing on the X-Box, then it's a good move for you.

Unlike the city-biased people, I find little towns like that to be great places to live. But then, I don't need to be surrounded by millions of people and have no trouble driving to somewhere to find something interesting to see or do (and usually get there more quickly than trying to commute through a city like Chicago).