contemplating if it's worth the move, CA to Springfield, IL

[mdand3boys]

Why limit to Springfield, proper? What would be wrong with moving to Chatham and its excellent school system?

[madpaddy]

Originally Posted by mdand3boys

Why limit to Springfield, proper? What would be wrong with moving to Chatham and its excellent school system?

Yes, Chatham or Rochester would be the obvious suggestions.

[FreedomBelle]

I lived in Urbana-Champaign for nearly 8 years (I frequently traveled to Springfield for work), spent a short period in Georgia, and just moved to Fresno. Central Illinois is not going to feel like the Central Valley. Despite the lovely Lincoln Museum, there's certainly still work to do in terms of diversity, but I don't think it's that much worse than the rest of downstate Illinois or many mid-size cities in the United States, really. The train goes to Chicago and St. Louis, so it's not hard to get to a city with interesting cultural events and access to airports for travel (if you travel for work). There's no ocean, there are no mountains, so if natural wonders are a part of your family's actives, you may find that it's quite an adjustment. (Though the prairie has its own charms.) Being a state capital, there are some opportunities in terms of government and civic events. Oh, and the state fair, LOL. And, yes, there is heat, humidity, tornadoes, and even earthquakes (two when I lived there). I haven't looked at numbers, but I'd guess that Fresno is about twice the size of Springfield, FWIW. Good luck!

[linicx]

Simply put, Illinois is not California. It is agricultural state. Everything outside of Chicago is downsized but that doesn't mean there are no cultural events except the state fair. It does not mean you cannot find upscale dining, upscale clothing, or theatre performances from one of the oldest performing arts groups in America because you can. Just as you can find the largest juried art fair outside of Chicago, one of the largest night time Christmas parades and displays in America, and the oldest Santa Clause parade in America. It is in Illinois, bit it is not in Springfield or Chicago. .

If you want the big, the bold, and in yer face experience of a 10M people you go to Chicago. If you want a reasonable COL in the Midwest, Illinois is not a bad place to land.

Springfield is about the size of Oceanside, California with half the traffic, half the congestion, no I-5, and no hills. I-55 does run through it. IL-29 is north or south but it does merge for a few blocks. Other than these routes. Springfield is easy to navigate. And First Night is a lot of fun if you don't mind winter weather.

[madpaddy]

Originally Posted by linicx

Simply put, Illinois is not California. It is agricultural state.

The central valley of CA is stongly agricultural too. That was what I was getting at when I suggested that Springfield might not be all that different for the OP. Fresno isn't anything like LA, San Diego, San Francisco, etc. Those are the types of places us midwesterners typically imagine when we talk of California, and they are quite different than our home. In many ways, daily life in Fresno is probably closer to that in Springfield than to the major coastal cities in CA. Yeah, you have mountains within an hours drive and the Pacific ocean within 2.5 hours. But how often does the typical Fresno resident actually get out of the valley? Probably no more often than a Springfield resident gets to St Louis, Chicago, or some other place with a different kind of scenery.

[chet everett]

California is like its own country, the Central Valley is over 450 miles long, it has the world's largest stretch of what is classified as "Class 1" soil -- that is the best of the best for all crops. Its mild 25 degree swing in temps is also tops for growing all plants. Its abundant water (mostly from seasonal snow melt in the Sierras) is actually easier to deal with than the drought / flood cycle of the Midwest.
California leads the nation in production of total dairy production, it produces more than 90% of all US made wine, 46% of all fruits & nuts, #2 in rice, #1 in cut flowers -- CDFA > STATISTICS
CA Dairy | Real California Milk

California is leading the country in vegetable production | abc30.com

Illinois has lots more corn, soybeans and other "silage crops" which are known to require intensive applications of herbicides that have been linked to cancer Cancer cause or crop aid? Herbicide faces big test | Reuters

[linicx]

I spent a fair amount of time in California between LA and SD. I much prefer the ocean and isolated beaches to the congested traffic and sardine-in-can small houses and small yards that can be mowed in less than 30 minutes. In the 50 years I've gone to California for various reasons I may have been in central valley and didn't realize it mostly because I prefer to travel at night. I have zero interest inthe desert or the desert fever. .

Springfield, B-N, Champaign are mostly in the Illinois Plains area. IL 29 N of Springfield almost to 1-80 is valley, rolling hills and river with a mix of farm and towns. The Midwest is not for everyone. It is more of a culture shock coming from the desert southwest than it is from the northeast Its 1200 miles or more and a big decision when you turn your life upside down. .

Originally Posted by madpaddy

The central valley of CA is stongly agricultural too. That was what I was getting at when I suggested that Springfield might not be all that different for the OP. Fresno isn't anything like LA, San Diego, San Francisco, etc. Those are the types of places us midwesterners typically imagine when we talk of California, and they are quite different than our home. In many ways, daily life in Fresno is probably closer to that in Springfield than to the major coastal cities in CA. Yeah, you have mountains within an hours drive and the Pacific ocean within 2.5 hours. But how often does the typical Fresno resident actually get out of the valley? Probably no more often than a Springfield resident gets to St Louis, Chicago, or some other place with a different kind of scenery.