Moving to Illinois...literally anywhere but Chicago or it’s suburbs (Rockford: houses, refrigerator)

[Grlzrl]

Curious why you would move to Illinois?

[flamadiddle]

A warmer college town option is Edwardsville (Southern Illinois University). Close to St. Louis. Looks like a few options in your price range.

[midwest1]

Why not consider northwest Indiana? Lower taxes...and it is part of Chicagoland. Prices however have risen as more people try to escape Illinois.

[Jules8116]

Thanks so much for the info! Does anyone know anything about Charleston or Mattoon area?

[Jules8116]

The move is to be closer to family. So we really are open to anywhere. Niche has been an extremely helpful tool

[aga412]

Originally Posted by Grlzrl

Curious why you would move to Illinois?

This. So much this.

[Chicagoland60426]

Originally Posted by jmgg

A safer option than Rockford might be straight west at Freeport. It's a decent size town far enough from any Chicago influence where the housing should be as affordable as anywhere else in Illinois. It's a relatively short drive to bigger Rockford as well as Wisconsin towns like Platteville and even Iowa towns like Dubuque.

I haven't been there for quite a few years, but have had relatives living there and several of the surrounding small communities. It always seemed like a nice clean town.

Rockford does not have a very good reputation as to crime.

Rockford's serious crime problems seem to be just as segregated as it is in Chicago. East State Street is the dividing line where very few murders occurred north of it, according to this interactive map that shows the number of murders that happened during 2016-2020.
https://wrex.com/2020/12/28/interact...kford-in-2020/

The northeast side covers a large enough area, and some housing that falls within the $120k tag can be found there. Northwest of the river is a nice neighborhood called Edgewater and its safe, although closer to the really bad areas west. Some of those streets can be mistaken for being in an upscale suburb of Chicago.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2835...4!8i8192?hl=en


Like Peoria, Rockford has hilly parts
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2752...2!8i6656?hl=en


This is a modest house going for $125k. It's north.
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...7_M85934-70949

[MSchemist80]

Originally Posted by Grlzrl

Curious why you would move to Illinois?

Exactly. If you need to be in Chicago because of a job or you desire an urban environment that is understandable that you may choose to deal with all the baggage that our corrupt dysfunctional govt creates. If you don't care about the city then you are getting all of the negatives with none of the benefits. Illinois is listed as worst state for the middle class by Kiplinger. Consider Indiana.

[dtcbnd03]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

Rockford, maybe. Has a downtown with the river there, and a pretty easy trip to Madison, Milwaukee, or Chicago. There are some somewhat sizable forest preserves in the area, so there's some landscape variety in the area. There's also some possibility that a train service to Chicago will be up and running some time this decade.

I second Rockford. Grew up there. Very cheap housing and COL (but high property taxes). A few decent public schools. Just live east of the river in Rockford or out in Roscoe or Belvidere. Don't worry about the crime or anything...all of that is well west of the river. Close to chicago, Madison and getting up into Wisconsin for their amazing summers.

[nyyfanatic85]

Come further south, the people are more laid-back, the temps are warmer, and you'll find affordable housing. Check out SIUE in Edwardsville- the economy is doing rather well there and you're close to St. Louis. Draw a circle around this area- how many places in the country can you be within a 12-hr. drive? Prime location. While you're at it, take a look at Charleston and Macomb as well. Very affordable places to live. Good luck!