Young professional Relocating to Moline, il /Quad city area (Chicago: apartment complexes, rentals)

[mo48813]

Hi everyone,

I've been offered a job in Moline,Il. I am a young professional relocating from NYC.
I am looking for a rental apartment in a safe area, that preferably has covered parking available.
I have searched and read the forums for information about Moline/Quadcities, and I still have a few questions.

1- How is it driving to work during the winter snow days, can a non AWD/4wheel drive car navigate the streets?

2- Is the cost of living on Il side, less than the Iowa side?

3- Any rental community recommendations would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

[linicx]

If you are from NYC and you ever drove in ice and snow you will do just fine. The only time you need a 4x4 is if you're in deep snow 8-16 inches. The trick is to add weight in the trunk of your vehicle... say an extra 300 pounds. It adds the extra rear traction you need. Some who have never driven in snow covered rural roads will argue. It works for me as I've it for years.

IL is an AG state. Besides the culture shock what this means is there isn't as much traffic or city congestion. There is also 10-20 miles between small towns. You will probably be 250 miles west of Chicago. COL in Chicago is cheaper than NYC. Rural Illinois COL is less than Chicago. Living expenses on either side of the river is probably very similar. The difference is state income taxes. IL is a flat 5%. The last time I looked (about 2 years ago) Iowa topped out 8% on incomes over $70K.

Personally, I think areas that are saturated with apartment complexes are not as desirable as areas with more single family homes and less apartments. If you lived in NYC most of your life, or as an older child, you probably know ghetto areas when you see it. They look alike from the the Atlantic to the Pacific. The only thing that changes is the buildings and street names.

Where you work will dictate where you live. How many miles do you want to drive to and from work? There is nothing wrong with Moline; it's a smallish farm town that is home to John Deere which is a good company to work for. It's a mix of white and blue collar residents. It is more difficult to find rentals in small towns as most are long term residents.
If you want covered parking you might consider renting a home with a single garage.

Moline and Rock Island are on the Illinois side of the river. IL grocery tax is 1%.

Here is a link to Moline apartments. If you are not in a position to be able to spend a few days to find a place, before your job begins, I suggest you take a short-term least of 3-6 months with McDonnell.

Moline Apartments for Rent - Find Apartments in Moline, IL

[chet everett]

Iowa side.

[mo48813]

Originally Posted by linicx

If you are from NYC and you ever drove in ice and snow you will do just fine. The only time you need a 4x4 is if you're in deep snow 8-16 inches. The trick is to add weight in the trunk of your vehicle... say an extra 300 pounds. It adds the extra rear traction you need. Some who have never driven in snow covered rural roads will argue. It works for me as I've it for years.

IL is an AG state. Besides the culture shock what this means is there isn't as much traffic or city congestion. There is also 10-20 miles between small towns. You will probably be 250 miles west of Chicago. COL in Chicago is cheaper than NYC. Rural Illinois COL is less than Chicago. Living expenses on either side of the river is probably very similar. The difference is state income taxes. IL is a flat 5%. The last time I looked (about 2 years ago) Iowa topped out 8% on incomes over $70K.

Personally, I think areas that are saturated with apartment complexes are not as desirable as areas with more single family homes and less apartments. If you lived in NYC most of your life, or as an older child, you probably know ghetto areas when you see it. They look alike from the the Atlantic to the Pacific. The only thing that changes is the buildings and street names.

Where you work will dictate where you live. How many miles do you want to drive to and from work? There is nothing wrong with Moline; it's a smallish farm town that is home to John Deere which is a good company to work for. It's a mix of white and blue collar residents. It is more difficult to find rentals in small towns as most are long term residents.
If you want covered parking you might consider renting a home with a single garage.

Moline and Rock Island are on the Illinois side of the river. IL grocery tax is 1%.

Here is a link to Moline apartments. If you are not in a position to be able to spend a few days to find a place, before your job begins, I suggest you take a short-term least of 3-6 months with McDonnell.

Moline Apartments for Rent - Find Apartments in Moline, IL

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply.
Wow, 300lbs is a lot of weight!
I am actually planning on spending a few days in the Quad city area to look at different rentals and I will consider your advice.

[mo48813]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Iowa side.

Hi,
Did you mean that I should live on the Iowa side?

[cubssoxfan]

I travel to the area a couple times a year for business. Although downtown Rock Island is making strides in revitalizing its downtown, I personally like the vibe of the Iowa side better.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by linicx

............. The trick is to add weight in the trunk of your vehicle... say an extra 300 pounds. It adds the extra rear traction you need. ...............

People did that many years ago when almost all cars were rear wheel drive and had no traction control. It makes no sense with front wheel drive, which most cars now have.......although it doesn't surprise me that you still do it.

[linicx]

Yes of course. I had 10" of snow in my drive and did just fine, but then I grew up driving on snow and ice. Whiteouts and black ice on rural Illinois roads are a much bigger problem than deep snow. But thanks for asking.

Originally Posted by karlsch

People did that many years ago when almost all cars were rear wheel drive and had no traction control. It makes no sense with front wheel drive, which most cars now have.......although it doesn't surprise me that you still do it.

[linicx]

A lot of it has to do with what you drive and where you live. A little extra traction is nice in deep snow especially if you're trying to 'rock out' of a place where you are stuck. Winter driving in rural America is different than winter driving in a larger city where roads are plowed or have heavy traffic. Small towns are notorious for not plowing side streets or intersections. Large towns are not necessarily any better about clearing side roads due to the large number of surface streets. Cook County for instance is 1000 square miles.

Federal Routes are plowed before State Routes. County Roads are plowed last. That quaint little rural burg may be a big mess after a 10" snow if there are no state routes nearby to get you to work. I think a decent 4x4 with AWD and AT tires will get you just about anywhere you want to go. I can't say it is the most comfortable ride, though.

Iowa is a little more conservative than Illinois and the COL may be a little higher when you factor in State Income Tax. Bettendorf Is a nice town not too far from Moline. City of Bettendorf, Iowa / Home Page

Originally Posted by mo48813

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply.
Wow, 300lbs is a lot of weight!
I am actually planning on spending a few days in the Quad city area to look at different rentals and I will consider your advice.

[Dport7674]

Originally Posted by linicx

Iowa is a little more conservative than Illinois and the COL may be a little higher when you factor in State Income Tax. Bettendorf Is a nice town not too far from Moline. City of Bettendorf, Iowa / Home Page

Bettendorf is for soccer moms.

And driving in the winter...The OP is coming from NYC, not Miami, they must have some experience. I never saw winter driving as a problem in the QCA.