The truth about Springfield? (Chicago, Lincoln: for sale, real estate market, low crime)

[Paul_Robeson]

I'm considering a move to Springfield to take a position at UIS. I'm in mid-40's, married, and I have two kids.

I'm wondering about the overall quality of life in Springfield. Given where I am in life, I don't need much cultural/social excitement, but I also don't want to live someplace that miserably isolated and backward. (I have lived in various places in the Midwest for 17 years, by the way.)

My specific concerns are: employment for my spouse (who is an attorney); the quality of the local schools (both within Springfield and the suburbs); and the local real estate market.

I'd appreciate any information people might have about those matters, or anything else relating to life/work in Springfield.

Thanks!

[sgresident]

You should look at the chatham area, just outside springfield. my in-laws are from springfield and when their kids were in school, they either looked at private schools in springfield and then they moved to be able to attend the chatham schools for public schools.

[bulldawg1594]

springfield high school is good, southeast and lanphier highs are probably a little below average. all of them are pretty diverse.

[MoonBeam33]

If you want to look at Chatham, as some other posters suggested, you will be closer to UIS.

Springfield is overflowing with attorneys, so it depends what your wife wants to do - private practice? Join a firm? Work for the city/state/county?

Lots of people won't say it but most Springfield public schools are *crap* - some elementary schools are good, but the middle schools and high schools are terrible. The problem with Chatham is that their population has grown very quickly, so the schools are a bit crowded. I have also heard that the Chatham HS is full of drugs and overcrowded, but have no personal experience there.

As far as real estate now is a great time to buy, as I'm sure you are aware. Honestly you will have your pick of homes in Springfield right now, with a wide variety of neighborhoods and price ranges. There are seven houses for sale on my block alone (good neighborhood) and I am putting my house on the market next year.

Springfield has a fair amount of cultural activities, mostly linked to UIS - but also an active theater center/Muni (summer theater), ballet company, and lots of local bands. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential museum has brought in some cultural activities as well, plus boosted the economy and brings lots of tourists. I wouldn't call it isolated and backwards, but it isn't Chicago either Sometimes you have to look a little harder to find something to do, but then there are weeks when there are too many choices. It all depends what you are interested in. Springfield is also very conservative, just fyi.

What department would you be working for at UIS?

Originally Posted by Paul_Robeson

I'm considering a move to Springfield to take a position at UIS. I'm in mid-40's, married, and I have two kids.

I'm wondering about the overall quality of life in Springfield. Given where I am in life, I don't need much cultural/social excitement, but I also don't want to live someplace that miserably isolated and backward. (I have lived in various places in the Midwest for 17 years, by the way.)

My specific concerns are: employment for my spouse (who is an attorney); the quality of the local schools (both within Springfield and the suburbs); and the local real estate market.

I'd appreciate any information people might have about those matters, or anything else relating to life/work in Springfield.

Thanks!

[ITChick]

Originally Posted by Annie3

I wouldn't call it isolated and backwards, but it isn't Chicago either Sometimes you have to look a little harder to find something to do, but then there are weeks when there are too many choices. It all depends what you are interested in. Springfield is also very conservative, just fyi.

Very true. Nice people, but a real small town feel. As my friend who lives there says, "You can get everything you need now on the Internet, so I'm staying put!". Definitely not for someone who craves the big city life.

[mdand3boys]

The Springfield area should be just fine for you. Chatham would be a good place to live with very low crime and the school system is much better than Springfield. I have many relatives in Chatham and surrounding towns and have spent a lot of time in Chatham over the years. All those new subdivisions on the West side are on land once owned by our family.

[Paul_Robeson]

I hadn't realized that there were so many Springfield threads going at once; I should have just piggy-backed onto one of the other ones.

Thanks for the informative comments here, though!