I LOVE my Illinois town: 2 hours from Chicago (Peoria, Lincoln: apartments, low crime)

[Princeton]

I live in a clean, quiet, low crime, friendly Illinois town called Princeton. It's 120 miles SW of Chicago on I-80, exit 56, in Bureau County. The location is ideal as we are also an hour east of the Quad Cities and an hour north of Peoria, IL.
The population of Princeton is 10,000 yet it has a nice school district, plenty of public parks, an authentic red covered bridge on the outskirts of town and best of all, very friendly people.
A nice home, in a good location, can be found for around $200,000. However, the newer subdivisions have large homes with large lots for 300,000 or more.
I have lived in Princeton for 32 years and absolutely love my town. It's wonderful to travel to Chicago or the suburbs for a day or two but I'm always glad to be home where at least 2 people wave as we pass each other on Main street.
I'm proud to say we have a nice public school system, two small but wonderful private schools, a beautiful new public library, large recreation center (Metro Center), countless communty activities throughout the year for the young and young-at-heart, and incredible retirement facilities with all levels of care.
We also have an Amtrak station with daily trips to Chicago as well as several stops along the way.
If you're looking for a friendly, quaint, low crime, and clean place to make your home, check Princeton out. I'm not a realtor, just someone who enjoys where I live and would love to share it with others.
It's a modern day Mayberry!

[msdafarm]

Oh my heavens! I must slightly disagree with the thread-starter--there must be some motivation they are promoting Princeton as heaven.

I've lived in Princeton all my life. How anyone has lived here any amount of time can say the population 10,000 is beyond me. The last census has us at 7,501 and that was at a peak level.

The crime level is indeed rising. Compare the monthly statistics--each agency (city and county) reports their monthly stats (arrests, calls, reports) in the Republican each month and the crime statistics have been steadily increasing at a rather alarming rate. Have you not noticed the extreme frequency of drug-related arrests? Drugs have practically taken over Princeton.

Alexander Park has been rendered practically unusable by many since the opening of the skate park. Skateboarders, when they are not harassing either seniors trying to have a nice lunch or parents with children using the playground, are in other ways making the park a place to avoid (regular physical fights, loud expletive-filled arguments, panhandling). And our once safe City County park has become a haven for underage drinking. Walking out there alone is not recommended--ask around!

Have you ever been down Hillview Drive to see people smoking crack in broad daylight? Take a wrong turn and you will. Have you ever taken a walk along railroad avenue in the evening and smelled marijuana all over? Have you ever passed the Anderson Street or Elm Place apartments? Or the ones on Elm or East Peru? Someone moving here needs to be careful when choosing a neighborhood, and they deserve to know that. Every town has their "bad" sections, but in my opinion ours is getting more and more as the years pass.

Princeton Illinois really is a quaint little town, but it is certainly no utopia.

[iluvmykhalil]

Originally Posted by msdafarm

Someone moving here needs to be careful when choosing a neighborhood, and they deserve to know that. Every town has their "bad" sections, but in my opinion ours is getting more and more as the years pass.

Princeton Illinois really is a quaint little town, but it is certainly no utopia.

Ok, wow... I have lived in Princeton for now almost 10 years, I have never noticed really any of the above, and moving from a BIG city, like I did, where all of that stuff really did go on, well Princeton is definatley calmer and safer. I miss the city, since I moved to Princeton, I have never really accepted it till recently. I finally realized, I am here, I have a family, it is safer for my child, rather than where I use to live, so I think I am staying. I just hate being so far away from everything, granted most big cities are only 1-2 hrs away. I just have to say that the post previous to mine does not know what BAD is. This is VERY safe compared to many other places to live.

[Scribbler]

10,000 is a bit inflated for Princeton, it's really more like a touch over 7k, but honestly, to somebody from a much bigger area, does it really matter if it's 7,000 or 10,000? No. It's gonna be a small town just the same.

I would concur that it's a very nicely kept community (good luck finding ANY community that doesn't have some percentage of run-down, disreputable areas and people), but Princeton is by far more pastoral, safe, and quaint than it is the reverse. Having spent the majority of my life in neighboring communities to Princeton, it's fairly rare in that it's very rurally located and NOT overwhelmingly run down. It's a RARITY for small towns similar to Princeton to be anything other than boarded up downtown vacant storefronts. Keeping an old-time downtown vibrant and commercially viable is a MAJOR triumph for a community of that size, character, and location.

[Princeton]

MSDAFARM I'm dumbfounded by your reply. Had you not mentioned specific areas in Princeton, I sincerely would have thought you've never been here.
I am familiar with every place you mentioned and haven't had a problem with any of them. You make our town sound like a ghetto!
Yes, there are drugs in our town--where isn't there--but come on, you have to admit you are exaggerating the problem.
It would seem to me that you haven't traveled much. Have you? I attended college out of state, have vacationed in countless others, spent 6 months in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago, and have traveled internationally. In all my travels, I stand by what I said about Princeton.
Have you ever visited Chicago and were greeted with a "Good Morning" from a complete stranger? I'm referring to an upscale area like Lincoln Park; not a poverty stricken, gang and drug infested slum area.
When my job required me to live in Lincoln Park for 6 months, I welcomed the opportunity to experience city living. Although I loved the area, opportunities, shopping, museums, health care, architecture, restaurants and countless other Chicago benefits, I marveled at how lonely I felt despite the masses.
Here's a great example: While in Lincoln Park, I walked 3 blocks to work. While passing someone, I'd smile and say "Good Morning" as this is something I've always done and do while living in Princeton--or at least a quick glance and and a warm smile. Although I was originally shocked by the response or shall I say lack of response from every person who walked past me, by the time I left, it was actually comical. You would have thought I yelled obscenities as some etched farther away from me as we passed, others completely ignored me, some grunted, and many were actually startled! During my entire time, not one person responded with eye contact let alone a courteous response.
I have no agenda in promoting Princeton. Actually after I posted the first time I felt like I had let a great secret out of the bag and feared the masses would invade my precious town and forever change it, all because of me!
In summary, a part of me feels defensive by what you wrote and another part is secretly glad you're driving people away.

[IllinoisValley]

Originally Posted by Princeton

I live in a clean, quiet, low crime, friendly Illinois town called Princeton. It's 120 miles SW of Chicago on I-80, exit 56, in Bureau County. The location is ideal as we are also an hour east of the Quad Cities and an hour north of Peoria, IL.
The population of Princeton is 10,000 yet it has a nice school district, plenty of public parks, an authentic red covered bridge on the outskirts of town and best of all, very friendly people.
A nice home, in a good location, can be found for around $200,000. However, the newer subdivisions have large homes with large lots for 300,000 or more.
I have lived in Princeton for 32 years and absolutely love my town. It's wonderful to travel to Chicago or the suburbs for a day or two but I'm always glad to be home where at least 2 people wave as we pass each other on Main street.
I'm proud to say we have a nice public school system, two small but wonderful private schools, a beautiful new public library, large recreation center (Metro Center), countless communty activities throughout the year for the young and young-at-heart, and incredible retirement facilities with all levels of care.
We also have an Amtrak station with daily trips to Chicago as well as several stops along the way.
If you're looking for a friendly, quaint, low crime, and clean place to make your home, check Princeton out. I'm not a realtor, just someone who enjoys where I live and would love to share it with others.
It's a modern day Mayberry!

NOT! LaSalle-Peru is a better place to live and raise a family than Princeton.

[Schmoo]

Mmmmkay, I'm also going to have to say that "modern day Mayberry" is quite a stretch.

True, it does have a nicer downtown area than the surrounding communities, and it does teeter just slightly into quaint versus redneck, unlike some of its neighbors. But undeniably, Princeton is a small town in the middle of corn & soybeans facing problems most small, rural towns do with economic growth, job opportunities, drugs, and being cut-off from civilization & culture.

It may very well be what a family is looking for, if they seek a quiet, contained, old fashioned community. But it is no utopia, especially for young people, the career driven, or any variety of progressive.

[Scribbler]

Originally Posted by IllinoisValley

NOT! LaSalle-Peru is a better place to live and raise a family than Princeton.

As soon as downtown LaSalle manages to look like anything other than a bombed out ghost town, I might agree with you. I know that the business that are there are trying, but seriously, it's just sad. My mom grew up in LP and I spent most of my childhood there, and somebody really needs to get the downtown portion of LaSalle fixed up.

Schmoo, Princeton can at least boast an arts center that has fine arts exhibitions by local artists, one of the few independent booksellers in a rural town of its size in the area without having the advantage of a nearby college to bolster it, and an outstanding summer theatre exhibition that rivals the "culture" of most other summer festivals in surrounding towns. It's WAY more friendly in those ways to progressive younger people than most of its neighboring communities. I'll concede on the few career options, but that's no different in any small town.

[Schmoo]

Originally Posted by Scribbler

Schmoo, Princeton can at least boast an arts center that has fine arts exhibitions by local artists.

Can you give me some info on this, I'm not familiar with it. Thanks!

[Scribbler]

It's called The Prairie Arts Center, and is on the same circle as the courthouse and the park with the veteran memorial. I've been to several local art showings there recently, one of which featured my best friend's oil paintings.