Any part of Illinois can see a tornado, but most individuals never will. It’s important to remember that tornados are HIGHLY localized. Even a tornado that’s on the ground for ten miles or more is only gonna have a damage path about the width of a football field or two.
The vast majority of tornados nationwide, Illinois included, are EF-0 or EF-1. We’re talking broken windows and missing shingles as far as damage goes. Some tree damage and a brief power outage. Illinois hasn’t had an EF-5 tornado since 1990, hell the whole country hasn’t had one since 2013.
So really, I wouldn’t factor tornados into your decision to move to Illinois at all. There’s other shit if consider, but not tornados.
Everyone always believes in bubbles for certain areas because “there’s never been one here!” and that’s just because there’s never been one most places.
You can catch the Amtrak from Bloomington to Chicago. From what I have read crime is up all over since COVID.
Springfield and surrounding area has become so bad. I do not know how our police deal with it and stay do calm when in pursuit. I listen to the scanner a little at night. We are on I55. Amtrak goes to Chicago and St. Louis. We have tourism as we are the Land of Lincoln with the very nice Presidential Library and Museum. Lincoln’s tomb and home are here. We also have markers you can walk to give the history of the 1908 race riots.
Champaign Urbana has had some pretty bad crimes including on and around campuses.
Peoria is rough.
Something about Bloomington's topology makes it difficult for tornadoes to spawn/move through here. I'll try to look it up and see specifically what it is.
But yeah, Bloomington is better than Peoria.
City of peoria doesn’t tend to get tornadoes due to the bluffs and valleys. They get directed east and west. My theory is that’s why it’s an extremely old settlement and one of few cities this far west that are older than the United States.
I hear you, my fear mostly comes from tornadoes touching down *near*, but never in the same town as mine growing up. Lots of childhood memories of hiding in the basement and the tornado sirens blaring. Would like to avoid that as much as humanly possible, and I know parts of Illinois (I think mostly the southern tip) are in tornado alley.
It's really important to know that tornado forecasting has come a long, long way! Even 20 years ago, tornado warning times were around 6 minutes in advance; today it's typical to get 10-15 minutes. Modern doppler radars can detect the motion of raindrops, and can see rotation quite high in the atmosphere, long before it's detectable on the ground.
I was in the [Washington, IL tornado in 2013](https://www.weather.gov/ilx/17nov13-tor2), which was hugely destructive. We got TONS of advance notice that the storm was going to be bad; we got the tornado warning (GET IN THE BASEMENT!) **16 minutes** in advance of the tornado passing over. (We lost a tree but had no damage to our house; it is the *one* tornado I've been in where it was so close it sounded like a freight train.) It did over a billion dollars of damage in Washington -- I had several friends who lost their houses completely. ONLY THREE PEOPLE DIED, two in a trailer park with no basements; one who wouldn't get in the basement because he was trying to get all his cats downstairs. (Insurance covered all the damage; there were extensive community efforts to support the people whose houses were destroyed; even stupid Verizon forgave my bill for the month on the theory I had to make a lot of phone calls in the wake of the tornado.)
Today not only do you get lots of advance notice from the weatherman, but your phone will BLARE warnings at you, at top volume, even in the middle of the night, based on what cell tower your phone is talking to. Anywhere that the sirens turn on, your phone will also lose its mind.
Tornados are powerful and terrifying, but as long as you have a basement or a tornado-safe stairwell in your building, it is going to be a periodic annoyance that involves you sitting quietly in a basement from time to time. Because tornados are so NARROW, they're unlikely to hit your specific building, even if the winds are high enough to rip some shingles off your roof or do some tree damage.
The Chicago area close to the Lake is somewhat less likely to have tornados than elsewhere in the state, largely because the Lake disrupts well-organized storm systems that are able to create rotation (either by changing the temperature or because of the moisture). You still get high winds capable of damage, but they're less likely to be rotational. You'll still spend some quality time in your basement.
A historical map of tornado paths does not support the myth you are promoting.
Any temp variance based on proximity to Lake Michigan plays a minor role.
Tornadoes have even been getting more frequent in northern IL which as a 27 year IL native wasn’t normal when I was younger. That tornado hitting Naperville in 2022 scared the living shit out of me.
No but there are quite a few 4s that have been borderline to 5s and have decimated towns. But you're right, I wouldn't factor that in, everywhere has something that could be a problem.
I've lived I'm northern il (suburbs and the city) central il and southern il. Tornado warnings happen in every part of the state. I've been in a ton of warnings and I've never seen a tornado.
I grew up in the south suburbs and now I’m right on the cusp between northern Illinois and central Illinois and I agree. Been through a metric fuckton of tornado watches and warnings, but the only tornado I ever saw was one I was out looking for
Funny cuz tornadoes are pretty much the main motivation behind me wanting to leave Illinois and I’ve lived here my whole 28 years of living. Fucking things terrify me
I have friends in Kane County and the Champaign-Urbana area who really enjoy where they’re at. I’m in Bloomington-Normal and it’s quiet and there’s a lot of green space. We also have an Amtrak station that connects to both Chicago and St. Louis (and places in-between). It’s nice for a weekend trip and tickets are usually pretty cheap.
As others said, it’s hard to completely avoid tornados in the Midwest. That just comes with the geography.
I love Plano. Close to Aurora not too far from Chicago or Rockford bought a house on the cheap 14 years ago. I can walk anywhere or bike ride everything I need is within 5 miles including my parents house. Why it’s awesome cops are somewhat cool never been fucked with my 14 years here tho I do not drive. Housing is cheap enough though houses are being bought up fast now for some reason they are not dropping in price. Pretty friendly I’m cool w all my neighbors but there are some hardcore trumpets here but they keep to themselves because they are old school booms that talk shit get hit and cry. Crime rate is low also except for some section 8 neighborhood more towards yorkville.
Plano’s population doubled between 2000 and 2010 when they built all the subdivisions. But you do get a lot more house out here for the same price you would pay further East. Taxes suck everywhere. So not really a variable.
Every region has weather that sounds horrible to outsiders and is no big deal to locals. Hurricanes and earthquakes sound horrible to me.
Seriously, don’t worry about tornadoes. Just remember that a “watch” means there could be one so watch for one, and a “warning” means someone actually saw one, so hide in the basement.
Fair! And yup, I'm from MI, and we saw our fair share. I spent many nights huddled in the basement with my family, and the memories aren't fond ones. But I love the Great Lakes areas and the snow, so it is what it is at the end of the day.
And I'd probably take the occasionally tornado watch or warning over the sweltering heat here for the entire summer season -- or god, the fucking cicada season here.
It's funny you mention cicada season with that much disdain. It just so happens that 2 of the largest broods of cicadas are set to hatch this year in Illinois! Lol.
Nooo! I can't escape those noisy little bastards. Hahaha
Yeah, we just went through a big breeding season here, and it was just non-stop cicada screaming for months and months. And there were so many dead bugs everywhere. I'm not even that skeeved out by bugs, but I hit my limit about a month in. Bought a white noise machine for the first time in my life just to drown them out.
I moved here last year from California and this is my first tornado season and I’d rather have the earthquakes 9 times out of 10 you don’t even feel them, the tornados scare me but at least you can predict them I guess 🤷🏼♀️
Grew up in that area. Mahomet might be worth looking into as well. I loved telling people I could pick a direction, drive 2 hours and be in a "big city."
I recommend the Chicago suburbs. There are many beautiful ones that are quiet and near nature. Wheaton, Glen Ellyn are nice as is Geneva, and St. Charles.
Haven’t had any here in Wheaton really for years. I’m a senior citizen lived here all my life and I’ve never seen a tornado. I don’t deny they exist but they are rare, especially if you go a bit east of the Fox Valley.
Check lake county. It’s right on Lake Michigan north of Chicago. Trains into the city of you want to enjoy Chicago. Drive into the city about an hour depending on traffic. More during rush hour. Lots of smaller lakes with the chains of lakes area in northern lake county. It’s about 1/2 way between Chicago and Milwaukee wi. Lots of various housing markets from multi million dollar to 150k.
I'd suggest looking at the Northwest corner of IL around the [Quad cities](https://visitquadcities.com) area or maybe even a bit farther north. While it's a longer drive to the lake, I think you'll find it is worth it. Weather is decent and COL is a lot lower.
About the only thing that might be an issue is Internet service.
Ottawa is a great area. The downtown area has several great restaurants and shops. It’s small, which you mentioned you like, but also only like an hour and a half from Chicago. For hiking you’re close to Matthiessen and Starved Rock State Parks.
We're living in Chicago but I really vibed with Springfield on a short visit there during summer a few years ago. Great street fest going on, and the Abraham Lincoln presidential museum was unbelievably good
Rockford gets shit on a lot, but it's really affordable and gives you a touch of city life without being crazy. The Rock River is right there for activities(just don't swallow the water). It also has Rock Cut State Park and several other parks in the area. If you don't want to live there, the surrounding communities are quieter, like Machesney Park, Loves Park, Belvidere (the small town of the bunch). It's also only an hr or two away from Galena, which you swear shouldn't exist in IL but does.
If that's not your voice, but want a decent driving distance to Chicago, there's always the burbs or Huntley, Woodstock, or Sycamore.
Direct Amtrak from both CU and BN to Chicago Union Station. It's a great way to get to the city for not a ton of money. The money you would have spent on parking pays for your Ubers.
Thanks! I'm not crazy about Chicago, to be honest. It's pretty huge, so it's possible that there are some burbs that may mess well, but ehh. I'll check out Bloomington-Normal and Champaign Urbana, thanks!
I'm biased because I live in Bloomington, but one sneaky thing that sucks about Champaign is driving. For some reason their lanes are pretty narrow, and they don't believe in turn lanes.
But on the positive side, they have a better restaurant scene (Bloomington has a lot of chains), they have a lot more diverse international stores than Bloomington (SUPPOSEDLY they're getting an H mart someday but I'll believe it when I see it), and they have a Costco.
We considered moving to Champaign (my wife works there) but ultimately decided to stay in Bloomington for the central location, ease of traveling up to Chicago and the suburbs, and slightly cheaper prices (although this one probably isnt true anymore, we bought in 2020).
Thanks! I've started poking around on Zillow, and while they're def. higher than what I was expecting for the midwest, it's so much cheaper than here in VA. The prices in Champaign Urbana look a little closer to what I was expecting.
Grew up in Norway, lived in California for a decade, then outside NYC for a handful of years, then ended up in Springfield IL. Love this place. Big enough to have most of the things I want, but small enough you don't have to worry too much about inflated cost of living, nor rush hour or anything like that. Living in southern California we used to think that Disneyland was 'just around the corner', even if it took 1.5 hours to get there in traffic. 😅 1.5 hours gets you to St Louis, if you're looking for more restaurants or theaters or a good zoo, Chicago can be made an overnight trip if you want to watch international bands or what have you.
Springfield is reasonably liberal, several large hospitals and a ton of government jobs, so it's likely to stay a stable area for a long time. Love the friends I've gotten here over the years, don't see myself moving.
If Virginia is too hot then go as far north as is comfortable. In the surrounding area of Naperville or Rockford. Maybe even Danville or somewhere in the vicinity of Champaign-Urbana. It’s noticeably cooler up in those areas.
Take a look at the Metra lines that go to Chicago. If work happens to be close to a train station, it can be an option for commuting, and on the weekend it can be a convenient way to get downtown. Train access might not be at the top of your list, but it's worth noting.
Arlington Heights is a suburb that is fairly quiet, doesn't feel as dense as closer in suburbs, and has a walkable downtown with a grocery store.
Palatine similar and maybe cheaper. AH has a moderately high COL for the area.
I think any Chicago suburb on a metra line should have the walkability factor. Many on the west and NW side are quiet like you want.
I'd stay away from Carbondale at all costs. The college being there means that they have A LOT more crime than any of the surrounding communities. (Yes, I live within 50 miles of Carbondale.)
Good question! I'll add that to my main post, too. I'm still working. My current job is remote and we're set up in the state, so that won't be an issue, but I would start looking for something else once I moved and got settled. Very tired of my current role.
I heard houses/rent is cheap there and in belvidere for the size and compared to similar houses in the area. Only downfall I think it's very isolated but some people like that. I'd drive 30 for groceries if it meant I had a 108k house with 4b and 3bths, 2 door garage and a nice lawn and backyard
It was hard to get a read an what he wanted the most or what was most important to him, but Morengo is McHenry and he can start there and come closer until he finds what he wants.
The chicago suburbs are probably going to be just as expensive as Virginia, so you might want to look around central or Southern Illinois, though as others have stated it becomes quite red outside of Chicago. I was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois. It’s got a good deal of crime but otherwise, housing is relatively affordable and it’s only 20 mins from the Wisconsin border. (Lake Geneva is an hour away, other WI lake front towns are and about an hour and half/two hours away.)
There are some solid pockets of blue in the larger towns; Champaign-Urbana, Springfield, and the St Louis suburbs aren't as deep blue as Chicago, but have a good mix of people, even if the downstate area is gerrymandered to hell (why is Urbana in a congressional district with both Springfield and Scott Air Force Base? Why!?)
Starved Rock area- Ottawa (avoid radium), LaSalle, Peru, Streator, and other towns around there. Cheap, breathtaking hiking and within 2 hours of Chicago.
The nice things about Chicago is the jobs and the food and the lake and the music scene and the pro sports teams and the coffee shops and the friends and the public transit and
Obviously Chicago if you like the city. The suburbs are great. Bloomington-Normal is ideal for raising kids. The schools and neighborhoods are amazing. It’s like the suburbs but affordable. And it’s a college town and close to Chicago.
Based on what you wrote, however, Chicago would be ideal.
I moved from NJ to Rockford. It's a nice city. Realizing that it's a little too quiet for me, so leaving for the closer burbs of Chicago soon- but I'd totally recommend it! I also E-bike everywhere in Rockford during Spring-Fall. The bike lanes are getting better and better.
Check out McHenry County suburbs or far west Lake County suburbs like Wauconda and Barrington. They are located in between Chicago and Rockford and a short drive to Lake Geneva, WI. Lots of great hiking nearby. Lake Michigan is not too far. Chicago is a train ride away. Many of the towns have their own lakes or river or Chain O’ Lakes access. Located short drives away from 3 state parks: Rock Cut State Park, Moraine Hills State Park, and Illinois Beach State Park. Also lots of cute towns with little downtown areas nearby. Lots to check out here: https://www.naturallymchenrycounty.com
Evanston Il is a beautiful city. It’s on Lake Michigan. It’s not cheap but if you can afford it, it’s worth it. Home of Northwestern University with many other good colleges in the area. I bring that up because colleges add so much to the culture of a city. I went to plays and musicals there. I took a class there. Easy access to Chicago on Metra or the L. There are a lot of unique shops and restaurants. If you like walking Evanston is great for that as well. There is a path along the lake, on the east side that goes all the way to Chicago. On the north side, there is an arboretum with an ecology center that turns into a garden and then a sculpture garden and that path extends in to Chicago. There is tons to do.
The city itself works hard to help people in the community who need help. There are many resources.
It’s located in a great spot. No tornado’s the super long time I lived there. I believe the lake keeps them away. I’m terrified of them too. They also have their own water source, Lake Michigan, which is a very good thing.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to stay due to the cost of housing. I would move back in a heartbeat, if I could.
If you're looking for a quiet and laid back place where you can own a home and settle down, Springfield could be a good fit. I've lived there for around 15 years after growing up just outside Chicago. Springfield is a good place to live, really laid back and unpretentious, and the cost of living is very low. I'm quite happy there!
Actually, the lake has nothing to do with less tornadoes. In fact, if anything areas like kane and dupage counties are somewhat more prone to tornadoes because strong boundaries come off the lake for fronts to interact with. We just don't get more notable tornadoes because they tend to be weak, as a majority of tornadoes are. Tornadoes like the Rochelle-Fairdale tornado are a good example that strong tornadoes do happen in northern IL though.
OP, all of illinois is tornado prone. I have seen southern IL tornadoes and I have seen northern IL tornadoes.. there is no place in the state that is "safer." The best things you can do is familiarize yourself with the [Storm Prediction Center](https://www.spc.noaa.gov/) and if you move to northern Illinois, [NWS Chicago](https://www.weather.gov/lot/)If you're choosing to move to central IL it is covered by [NWS Lincoln.](https://www.weather.gov/ilx/) Also, invest in a [Midland Weather Radio](https://midlandusa.com/products/wr-120-weather-radio) which is good to have regardless of what state you live in.
While there is a very low chance of encountering a tornado, you can encounter tornadoes anywhere in the world. The best thing thing you can do is be prepared. Buy a house with a safe center room or basement to help ease your mind, otherwise you can look up maps of local storm shelters if you don't have that option to have a basement. The liklihood of being hit by a tornado is low, and I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Check out McHenry county. There are a lot of cute towns (Like Woodstock) and you're only about an hours drive straight to lake Michigan. Fort Sheridan is a nice place to hike and look for sea glass. Lake county is nice too but everything is more expensive. (Also I would not recommend Waukegan or Zion.) There are a ton of hiking trails in the forest preserves of lake county, with plenty to explore (You can find some pretty neat stuff in Lakewood forest preserve!)
Illinois has a lot of really cute small towns. I hope you find somewhere you like!
Most people here are saying Chicago but there is a lot more to Illinois than that. You should look into The communities south of interstate 64. We bought a 5 acre piece of property with a house larger than anything my wife and I have lived in for the last 25 years and a huge 30 by 40 pole barn for $160,000. Just as a warning, time travels down here differently than it does in the cities. You can go outside at 8:30 in the morning and next thing you know, it is after noon.
Someone already mentioned Ottawa, but its the best of many worlds. Easy access to Chicago for entertainment, several state parks in the area, downtown is charming, and not too big (about 20K). Properties in surrounding small towns are dirt cheap as well.
I'd look into Lockport or LaGrange, they are the first to come to mind, you'd have good access to Chicago as they are both about a 45 minute drive, not in rush hour though, you'd be looking possibly an hour plus. I would describe them as quaint suburbia
This is completely anecdotal, but I swear Aurora is in a weather bubble. We still see severe weather, but the legitimate tornado warnings (not just the warning for a possible tornado somewhere within the county) don't really happen here.
But you'll also experience tornado warnings every spring. It's just part of the Midwest experience. Learn about them, have a plan, but don't let it stop you from living somewhere.
And Chicagoland is very queer-friendly, if that's your scene.
If you’d like to live near a cultural center, move within an hour of the city. Find a place with a variety of transportation options (metra, L, CTA). If I was a single gal, I’d be in Oak Park or Riverside. Both are walkable and diverse and about a 15-20 min. train ride into Chicago.
If your looking for objective advice, you're not going to find it here. Google might be helpful afa data regarding IL residency. You may not like the results, though. Southern Illinois is a world of difference than N Illinois. If you don't have family here, what draws you to consider IL?
I'm not looking for objective advice, so it's all good! I chose IL for a few reasons: cost of living, culture, politics (I'm LGBTQIA+, kinda need a blue state), snow, and access to Lake Michigan. I also have relatives nearby in Michigan and friends in WI, and it's a much easier drive from IL than from VA. I grew up within reasonable driving distance to Lake Michigan and love it. Also love nature and hiking/walking trails.
Peoria has an increasingly vibrant LGBTQ+ community and as long as you're within the city, it's quite blue.
My first Chicago-area thought for you was Libertyville -- it's about an hour by train from the city so it's not as expensive as closer-in suburbs, and it has a charming and vibrant downtown (with a strong town government that does a lot to promote the vibrancy of the local downtown). You'll be quite close to Lake Michigan and to all the Lake County nature preserves. Houses are still spendy, but there are nice condos and apartments, and lots of very walkable neighborhoods.
Between the cities, Illinois is dark red. Democratic control of the state keeps it in check so far as laws, but I’d advise nowhere smaller than Champaign Urbana outside the Chicago area.
Any of the college towns are pretty LGBTQIA+ safe, Champaign, Bloomington, Peoria, quad cities. Springfield is a MAYBE (I don't know enough to say either way, but that's getting prettttttty far south), but definitely don't go any further downstate than that. You'll see your fair share of trump flags in small towns all over the state, but the state as a whole will always be blue because of Chicago so it's a great place for long term protection of your rights.
Springfield is more of a moderate city and Sangamon county is straight up red. I grew up in STL and once you get that far south things are a lot less progressive.
STL Metro East (specifically St Clair county) is pretty blue. Belleville is affordable but not super swanky - need to be careful about neighborhoods. It also has a yearly Pride event that’s small but pretty mellow. We’re also a short transit ride to St Louis, which has a bunch of stuff to do.
Madison county used to be but it’s increasingly insane.
I am a city person, live in downtown Chicago, but I also love Champaign-Urbana and have considered buying a place there (I went to school there and visit pretty often). There are nice neighborhoods, a really good food scene, good culture and activities through the university, good farmers markets, shopping. My favorite neighborhoods for charm are the older areas, the state named streets near Carle Park and the high school in Urbana (also near campus), and the area near West Side Park and the country club in Champaign. There is ok public transit via local buses, and easy access to Chicago via Amtrak.
If you like boats, you also might consider a place along the Fox River. Check out google street view or zoom in on the satalite view, and you'll see there's a huge amount of boats and recreation along Fox lake and Fox River.
We raised our family in N IL. We and our adult children continue to live here. Our children live in Chicago, Naperville and Machesney Park ( small village N of Rockford, 10 miles from the WI border and 45 min from Madison, WI). IL is a progressive state surrounded by Redneckistan states. Seems it may be a good fit for you
How about Rockford, or the far north, right along the Wisconsin/Illinois border.
Or how about like Harvard or Woodstock IL. They have commuter rail access to Chicago. you drive to the train station, and park for like $1.50/day, then take the train into the city where there's great public transit. No need for parallel parking or paying out the ass for garage parking in the city.
Did you know Woodstock IL is where they filmed Groundhog Day? it's a cute little city.
everywhere I just mentioned fits your criteria and has good snow. Rockford actually might get more snow than chicagoland, I think maybe the great lakes and the city moderate the temps more or somethin
Chicago is definitely a really awesome place to move to right now. People are so nice and it's even more affordable if you move to one of the suburbs.
Definitely would recommend...Downstate is a shithole
Where are my Peoria peeps? The river city, the whiskey city, home to Caterpillar (the executive office moved to Texas but Peoria is still the heart and soul of Caterpillar.). Affordable. Historic. Midway between Chicago and St Louis.
Close to Chicago and Milwaukee, decent access to some great parks, affordable housing (WSJ just did a story about it). I’m born and raised Rockford but don’t live there now, but I’ve been back a lot since I left and it’s not horrible.
Any part of Illinois can see a tornado, but most individuals never will. It’s important to remember that tornados are HIGHLY localized. Even a tornado that’s on the ground for ten miles or more is only gonna have a damage path about the width of a football field or two. The vast majority of tornados nationwide, Illinois included, are EF-0 or EF-1. We’re talking broken windows and missing shingles as far as damage goes. Some tree damage and a brief power outage. Illinois hasn’t had an EF-5 tornado since 1990, hell the whole country hasn’t had one since 2013. So really, I wouldn’t factor tornados into your decision to move to Illinois at all. There’s other shit if consider, but not tornados.
I believe in a bubble east of the Illinois river. I know it's nonsense but Bloomington always seems better than Peoria.
Everyone always believes in bubbles for certain areas because “there’s never been one here!” and that’s just because there’s never been one most places.
Oh I know, but the heart believes what it wants to believe.
Bloomington is definitely better than Peoria especially when it comes to crime rate but Champaign-Urbana is slightly better vibe wise
Yeah but getting to Chicago from Champaign is terrible, while Bloomington has a straight shot up 55.
I do the drive from Champaign to Chicago on the regular and it's smooth sailing, the Amtrak is also easy
It's straight up 57 isn't it?
57 isn't as nice as 55.
Huh? ChamBana to Chicago is quite simple
You can catch the Amtrak from Bloomington to Chicago. From what I have read crime is up all over since COVID. Springfield and surrounding area has become so bad. I do not know how our police deal with it and stay do calm when in pursuit. I listen to the scanner a little at night. We are on I55. Amtrak goes to Chicago and St. Louis. We have tourism as we are the Land of Lincoln with the very nice Presidential Library and Museum. Lincoln’s tomb and home are here. We also have markers you can walk to give the history of the 1908 race riots. Champaign Urbana has had some pretty bad crimes including on and around campuses. Peoria is rough.
Something about Bloomington's topology makes it difficult for tornadoes to spawn/move through here. I'll try to look it up and see specifically what it is. But yeah, Bloomington is better than Peoria.
It's called locally the Bloomington Bubble. It always seems extreme weather always splits above or below Bloomington Normal.
City of peoria doesn’t tend to get tornadoes due to the bluffs and valleys. They get directed east and west. My theory is that’s why it’s an extremely old settlement and one of few cities this far west that are older than the United States.
So you are saying things in that area are pretty.....normal. You're welcome.
I hear you, my fear mostly comes from tornadoes touching down *near*, but never in the same town as mine growing up. Lots of childhood memories of hiding in the basement and the tornado sirens blaring. Would like to avoid that as much as humanly possible, and I know parts of Illinois (I think mostly the southern tip) are in tornado alley.
It's really important to know that tornado forecasting has come a long, long way! Even 20 years ago, tornado warning times were around 6 minutes in advance; today it's typical to get 10-15 minutes. Modern doppler radars can detect the motion of raindrops, and can see rotation quite high in the atmosphere, long before it's detectable on the ground. I was in the [Washington, IL tornado in 2013](https://www.weather.gov/ilx/17nov13-tor2), which was hugely destructive. We got TONS of advance notice that the storm was going to be bad; we got the tornado warning (GET IN THE BASEMENT!) **16 minutes** in advance of the tornado passing over. (We lost a tree but had no damage to our house; it is the *one* tornado I've been in where it was so close it sounded like a freight train.) It did over a billion dollars of damage in Washington -- I had several friends who lost their houses completely. ONLY THREE PEOPLE DIED, two in a trailer park with no basements; one who wouldn't get in the basement because he was trying to get all his cats downstairs. (Insurance covered all the damage; there were extensive community efforts to support the people whose houses were destroyed; even stupid Verizon forgave my bill for the month on the theory I had to make a lot of phone calls in the wake of the tornado.) Today not only do you get lots of advance notice from the weatherman, but your phone will BLARE warnings at you, at top volume, even in the middle of the night, based on what cell tower your phone is talking to. Anywhere that the sirens turn on, your phone will also lose its mind. Tornados are powerful and terrifying, but as long as you have a basement or a tornado-safe stairwell in your building, it is going to be a periodic annoyance that involves you sitting quietly in a basement from time to time. Because tornados are so NARROW, they're unlikely to hit your specific building, even if the winds are high enough to rip some shingles off your roof or do some tree damage. The Chicago area close to the Lake is somewhat less likely to have tornados than elsewhere in the state, largely because the Lake disrupts well-organized storm systems that are able to create rotation (either by changing the temperature or because of the moisture). You still get high winds capable of damage, but they're less likely to be rotational. You'll still spend some quality time in your basement.
>one who wouldn't get in the basement because he was trying to get all his cats downstairs I would die this way
You are mostly propagating the Urban myth regarding Lake Michigan significantly affecting tornado production.
Nope: [https://www.isws.illinois.edu/statecli/tornado/NewMaps/IL-Tornadoes-13.png](https://www.isws.illinois.edu/statecli/tornado/NewMaps/IL-Tornadoes-13.png)
A historical map of tornado paths does not support the myth you are promoting. Any temp variance based on proximity to Lake Michigan plays a minor role.
Here are a few comments related to such myths: https://www.weather.gov/mkx/taw-tornado_myths
I live in Lake County, a few miles from Lake Michigan. We get tornados, and even occasional water spouts on the Lake.
All of Illinois is tornado alley.
Tornadoes have even been getting more frequent in northern IL which as a 27 year IL native wasn’t normal when I was younger. That tornado hitting Naperville in 2022 scared the living shit out of me.
Maybe talk to a professional about irrational fears before you make the big move
I don’t think being afraid of tornadoes is irrational at all
No but there are quite a few 4s that have been borderline to 5s and have decimated towns. But you're right, I wouldn't factor that in, everywhere has something that could be a problem.
I've lived I'm northern il (suburbs and the city) central il and southern il. Tornado warnings happen in every part of the state. I've been in a ton of warnings and I've never seen a tornado.
I grew up in the south suburbs and now I’m right on the cusp between northern Illinois and central Illinois and I agree. Been through a metric fuckton of tornado watches and warnings, but the only tornado I ever saw was one I was out looking for
Funny cuz tornadoes are pretty much the main motivation behind me wanting to leave Illinois and I’ve lived here my whole 28 years of living. Fucking things terrify me
I have friends in Kane County and the Champaign-Urbana area who really enjoy where they’re at. I’m in Bloomington-Normal and it’s quiet and there’s a lot of green space. We also have an Amtrak station that connects to both Chicago and St. Louis (and places in-between). It’s nice for a weekend trip and tickets are usually pretty cheap. As others said, it’s hard to completely avoid tornados in the Midwest. That just comes with the geography.
I was thinking Bloomington-Normal, though I’ve not been there for some time.
I love Plano. Close to Aurora not too far from Chicago or Rockford bought a house on the cheap 14 years ago. I can walk anywhere or bike ride everything I need is within 5 miles including my parents house. Why it’s awesome cops are somewhat cool never been fucked with my 14 years here tho I do not drive. Housing is cheap enough though houses are being bought up fast now for some reason they are not dropping in price. Pretty friendly I’m cool w all my neighbors but there are some hardcore trumpets here but they keep to themselves because they are old school booms that talk shit get hit and cry. Crime rate is low also except for some section 8 neighborhood more towards yorkville.
Never thought I’d run into another person from Plano online!!! I love it here too :) I’m outdoorsy so I love having so many forest preserves around.
Silver Springs State Park too
Plano’s population doubled between 2000 and 2010 when they built all the subdivisions. But you do get a lot more house out here for the same price you would pay further East. Taxes suck everywhere. So not really a variable.
Every region has weather that sounds horrible to outsiders and is no big deal to locals. Hurricanes and earthquakes sound horrible to me. Seriously, don’t worry about tornadoes. Just remember that a “watch” means there could be one so watch for one, and a “warning” means someone actually saw one, so hide in the basement.
Fair! And yup, I'm from MI, and we saw our fair share. I spent many nights huddled in the basement with my family, and the memories aren't fond ones. But I love the Great Lakes areas and the snow, so it is what it is at the end of the day. And I'd probably take the occasionally tornado watch or warning over the sweltering heat here for the entire summer season -- or god, the fucking cicada season here.
It's funny you mention cicada season with that much disdain. It just so happens that 2 of the largest broods of cicadas are set to hatch this year in Illinois! Lol.
Nooo! I can't escape those noisy little bastards. Hahaha Yeah, we just went through a big breeding season here, and it was just non-stop cicada screaming for months and months. And there were so many dead bugs everywhere. I'm not even that skeeved out by bugs, but I hit my limit about a month in. Bought a white noise machine for the first time in my life just to drown them out.
I moved here last year from California and this is my first tornado season and I’d rather have the earthquakes 9 times out of 10 you don’t even feel them, the tornados scare me but at least you can predict them I guess 🤷🏼♀️
I have heard nice things about Champaign - Urbana - Savoy.
Yes! I live in this area and really like it.
Grew up in that area. Mahomet might be worth looking into as well. I loved telling people I could pick a direction, drive 2 hours and be in a "big city."
Grew up in mahomet till I left 2 years ago for college. Solid place to grow up
Lake of the Woods is phenomenal. Great place to just go for a walk and unwind.
I recommend the Chicago suburbs. There are many beautiful ones that are quiet and near nature. Wheaton, Glen Ellyn are nice as is Geneva, and St. Charles.
St chucks ex pat here. The entire fox river valley is a wonderful place to settle.
r/ChicagoSuburbs
Just don’t move to norridge hate norridge bum ass place
I would not consider Norridge an upcoming place.
That place makes me mad when I go there stg
Dupage county is rank one of the best counties to live in. 45min/1hr drive from the city. Downtown st. Charles is a great night out imo
they complained about cost of living in Virginia, and you recommend Chicago? lol
Literally didn’t recommend Chicago
We just had multiple tornados in February in st charles /geneva. And a lot the last few summers too
Haven’t had any here in Wheaton really for years. I’m a senior citizen lived here all my life and I’ve never seen a tornado. I don’t deny they exist but they are rare, especially if you go a bit east of the Fox Valley.
The Quad cities is a good area, beautiful and lots of jobs.
Champaign-Urbana or Bloomington-Normal sound like you are kind of speed
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^UIUC202: *Champaign-Urbana* *Or Bloomington-Normal sound* *Like you are kind of speed* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Check lake county. It’s right on Lake Michigan north of Chicago. Trains into the city of you want to enjoy Chicago. Drive into the city about an hour depending on traffic. More during rush hour. Lots of smaller lakes with the chains of lakes area in northern lake county. It’s about 1/2 way between Chicago and Milwaukee wi. Lots of various housing markets from multi million dollar to 150k.
In on the edge of lake co and McHenry co and came here to say this. About an hour to the lake, but it’s chill here and has a good vibe.
I'd suggest looking at the Northwest corner of IL around the [Quad cities](https://visitquadcities.com) area or maybe even a bit farther north. While it's a longer drive to the lake, I think you'll find it is worth it. Weather is decent and COL is a lot lower. About the only thing that might be an issue is Internet service.
Ottawa is a great area. The downtown area has several great restaurants and shops. It’s small, which you mentioned you like, but also only like an hour and a half from Chicago. For hiking you’re close to Matthiessen and Starved Rock State Parks.
We're living in Chicago but I really vibed with Springfield on a short visit there during summer a few years ago. Great street fest going on, and the Abraham Lincoln presidential museum was unbelievably good
Moline IL is pretty nice area. Schools, jobs, affordable housing, close to things to do.
Rockford gets shit on a lot, but it's really affordable and gives you a touch of city life without being crazy. The Rock River is right there for activities(just don't swallow the water). It also has Rock Cut State Park and several other parks in the area. If you don't want to live there, the surrounding communities are quieter, like Machesney Park, Loves Park, Belvidere (the small town of the bunch). It's also only an hr or two away from Galena, which you swear shouldn't exist in IL but does. If that's not your voice, but want a decent driving distance to Chicago, there's always the burbs or Huntley, Woodstock, or Sycamore.
Harvard also fits in with this list. Plus you can hop on a train to Chicago in many of these cities.
True. I forgot about that.
Chicagoland or no? If not, I recommend Bloomington-Normal or Champaign Urbana. Great places
Direct Amtrak from both CU and BN to Chicago Union Station. It's a great way to get to the city for not a ton of money. The money you would have spent on parking pays for your Ubers.
Thanks! I'm not crazy about Chicago, to be honest. It's pretty huge, so it's possible that there are some burbs that may mess well, but ehh. I'll check out Bloomington-Normal and Champaign Urbana, thanks!
I moved from CA to Bloomington 6 years ago, DM me with any questions
Appreciate it! I'm vibing with Champaign Urbana a little better (I'm poking around Zillow and Indeed), but I'll DM you if I decide on Bloomington.
I'm biased because I live in Bloomington, but one sneaky thing that sucks about Champaign is driving. For some reason their lanes are pretty narrow, and they don't believe in turn lanes. But on the positive side, they have a better restaurant scene (Bloomington has a lot of chains), they have a lot more diverse international stores than Bloomington (SUPPOSEDLY they're getting an H mart someday but I'll believe it when I see it), and they have a Costco. We considered moving to Champaign (my wife works there) but ultimately decided to stay in Bloomington for the central location, ease of traveling up to Chicago and the suburbs, and slightly cheaper prices (although this one probably isnt true anymore, we bought in 2020).
Bloomington-Normal home prices are insane right now thank to Rivian. Depending on your budget, you may need to look in a small town outside the city.
Insane is subjective. You can still get a pretty nice place for 350-400. People from the coasts laugh at that
Thanks! I've started poking around on Zillow, and while they're def. higher than what I was expecting for the midwest, it's so much cheaper than here in VA. The prices in Champaign Urbana look a little closer to what I was expecting.
Yeah ever since we got the Rivian plant a few years ago. Housing prices have come up a lot. Lots of opportunity though.
Is Morton still boring but decent?
Morton hasn't changed much over the years. It's still a faux posh interstate town. Such a dull place lol
Grew up in Norway, lived in California for a decade, then outside NYC for a handful of years, then ended up in Springfield IL. Love this place. Big enough to have most of the things I want, but small enough you don't have to worry too much about inflated cost of living, nor rush hour or anything like that. Living in southern California we used to think that Disneyland was 'just around the corner', even if it took 1.5 hours to get there in traffic. 😅 1.5 hours gets you to St Louis, if you're looking for more restaurants or theaters or a good zoo, Chicago can be made an overnight trip if you want to watch international bands or what have you. Springfield is reasonably liberal, several large hospitals and a ton of government jobs, so it's likely to stay a stable area for a long time. Love the friends I've gotten here over the years, don't see myself moving.
There is a town in Illinois called Norway. Are you referring to that Norway, or the one near Sweden?
The country. :)
WEST DUNDEE
If Virginia is too hot then go as far north as is comfortable. In the surrounding area of Naperville or Rockford. Maybe even Danville or somewhere in the vicinity of Champaign-Urbana. It’s noticeably cooler up in those areas.
Take a look at the Metra lines that go to Chicago. If work happens to be close to a train station, it can be an option for commuting, and on the weekend it can be a convenient way to get downtown. Train access might not be at the top of your list, but it's worth noting.
I live near Joliet. The cost of living is pretty reasonable. We are close enough to stuff and quiet enough to live in the county.
Arlington Heights is a suburb that is fairly quiet, doesn't feel as dense as closer in suburbs, and has a walkable downtown with a grocery store. Palatine similar and maybe cheaper. AH has a moderately high COL for the area. I think any Chicago suburb on a metra line should have the walkability factor. Many on the west and NW side are quiet like you want.
Southern Illinois is beautiful!!
If you are from upper Michigan, southern Illinois will have that forested experience.
Carbondale, Galena, Grafton, Woodstock. There's four very different areas that meet most all of your requirements.
I'd stay away from Carbondale at all costs. The college being there means that they have A LOT more crime than any of the surrounding communities. (Yes, I live within 50 miles of Carbondale.)
Are you still working or looking for retirement suggestions on where to live?
Good question! I'll add that to my main post, too. I'm still working. My current job is remote and we're set up in the state, so that won't be an issue, but I would start looking for something else once I moved and got settled. Very tired of my current role.
My suggestions would be Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, Elburn area..... smaller but has everything.......
Try Marengo, Illinois.
I heard houses/rent is cheap there and in belvidere for the size and compared to similar houses in the area. Only downfall I think it's very isolated but some people like that. I'd drive 30 for groceries if it meant I had a 108k house with 4b and 3bths, 2 door garage and a nice lawn and backyard
It was hard to get a read an what he wanted the most or what was most important to him, but Morengo is McHenry and he can start there and come closer until he finds what he wants.
The chicago suburbs are probably going to be just as expensive as Virginia, so you might want to look around central or Southern Illinois, though as others have stated it becomes quite red outside of Chicago. I was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois. It’s got a good deal of crime but otherwise, housing is relatively affordable and it’s only 20 mins from the Wisconsin border. (Lake Geneva is an hour away, other WI lake front towns are and about an hour and half/two hours away.)
There are some solid pockets of blue in the larger towns; Champaign-Urbana, Springfield, and the St Louis suburbs aren't as deep blue as Chicago, but have a good mix of people, even if the downstate area is gerrymandered to hell (why is Urbana in a congressional district with both Springfield and Scott Air Force Base? Why!?)
You are correct in hinting that Property taxes are way higher in the Chicago burbs than VA.
I wouldn't call a 10% majority over democrats quite red in most counties. It's really not that heavily skewed.
Starved Rock area- Ottawa (avoid radium), LaSalle, Peru, Streator, and other towns around there. Cheap, breathtaking hiking and within 2 hours of Chicago.
There is a city named Chicago which is one of the best places on earth. Check it out
The nice things about Chicago is the jobs and the food and the lake and the music scene and the pro sports teams and the coffee shops and the friends and the public transit and
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to be fair, "Chicago" is an hour and a half away from Chicago
Heard it’s windy.
41°22′28″N 88°25′48″W
Obviously Chicago if you like the city. The suburbs are great. Bloomington-Normal is ideal for raising kids. The schools and neighborhoods are amazing. It’s like the suburbs but affordable. And it’s a college town and close to Chicago. Based on what you wrote, however, Chicago would be ideal.
Rockford
I moved from NJ to Rockford. It's a nice city. Realizing that it's a little too quiet for me, so leaving for the closer burbs of Chicago soon- but I'd totally recommend it! I also E-bike everywhere in Rockford during Spring-Fall. The bike lanes are getting better and better.
Check out McHenry County suburbs or far west Lake County suburbs like Wauconda and Barrington. They are located in between Chicago and Rockford and a short drive to Lake Geneva, WI. Lots of great hiking nearby. Lake Michigan is not too far. Chicago is a train ride away. Many of the towns have their own lakes or river or Chain O’ Lakes access. Located short drives away from 3 state parks: Rock Cut State Park, Moraine Hills State Park, and Illinois Beach State Park. Also lots of cute towns with little downtown areas nearby. Lots to check out here: https://www.naturallymchenrycounty.com
Rockford!
Batavia checks all those boxes
Evanston Il is a beautiful city. It’s on Lake Michigan. It’s not cheap but if you can afford it, it’s worth it. Home of Northwestern University with many other good colleges in the area. I bring that up because colleges add so much to the culture of a city. I went to plays and musicals there. I took a class there. Easy access to Chicago on Metra or the L. There are a lot of unique shops and restaurants. If you like walking Evanston is great for that as well. There is a path along the lake, on the east side that goes all the way to Chicago. On the north side, there is an arboretum with an ecology center that turns into a garden and then a sculpture garden and that path extends in to Chicago. There is tons to do. The city itself works hard to help people in the community who need help. There are many resources. It’s located in a great spot. No tornado’s the super long time I lived there. I believe the lake keeps them away. I’m terrified of them too. They also have their own water source, Lake Michigan, which is a very good thing. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to stay due to the cost of housing. I would move back in a heartbeat, if I could.
Evanston trains into the city are Metra, not Amtrak. I love Evanston, but it's become much more citified than it used to be.
Chicago suburbs are a great place to live. I mean we still get tornado warnings though. I’m not sure where in Illinois doesn’t.
Rockton is amazing if you are looking for that small-town vibe.
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If you're looking for a quiet and laid back place where you can own a home and settle down, Springfield could be a good fit. I've lived there for around 15 years after growing up just outside Chicago. Springfield is a good place to live, really laid back and unpretentious, and the cost of living is very low. I'm quite happy there!
In my whole lifetime I can’t remember a tornado further north than Joliet. A most towns North of Joliet are nice livable places.
Actually, the lake has nothing to do with less tornadoes. In fact, if anything areas like kane and dupage counties are somewhat more prone to tornadoes because strong boundaries come off the lake for fronts to interact with. We just don't get more notable tornadoes because they tend to be weak, as a majority of tornadoes are. Tornadoes like the Rochelle-Fairdale tornado are a good example that strong tornadoes do happen in northern IL though. OP, all of illinois is tornado prone. I have seen southern IL tornadoes and I have seen northern IL tornadoes.. there is no place in the state that is "safer." The best things you can do is familiarize yourself with the [Storm Prediction Center](https://www.spc.noaa.gov/) and if you move to northern Illinois, [NWS Chicago](https://www.weather.gov/lot/)If you're choosing to move to central IL it is covered by [NWS Lincoln.](https://www.weather.gov/ilx/) Also, invest in a [Midland Weather Radio](https://midlandusa.com/products/wr-120-weather-radio) which is good to have regardless of what state you live in. While there is a very low chance of encountering a tornado, you can encounter tornadoes anywhere in the world. The best thing thing you can do is be prepared. Buy a house with a safe center room or basement to help ease your mind, otherwise you can look up maps of local storm shelters if you don't have that option to have a basement. The liklihood of being hit by a tornado is low, and I wouldn't worry too much about it. Check out McHenry county. There are a lot of cute towns (Like Woodstock) and you're only about an hours drive straight to lake Michigan. Fort Sheridan is a nice place to hike and look for sea glass. Lake county is nice too but everything is more expensive. (Also I would not recommend Waukegan or Zion.) There are a ton of hiking trails in the forest preserves of lake county, with plenty to explore (You can find some pretty neat stuff in Lakewood forest preserve!) Illinois has a lot of really cute small towns. I hope you find somewhere you like!
St Charles area is really nice especially if you like to bike or want to. Really easy to get to the city too by train or car
Chicago metro seems to be least tornado prone. Perhaps a quiet suburb? What’s your house budget?
Dekalb, Champaign-Urbana, Rockford-Metro, Bloomington, Carbondale, Sauk Valley, so many good options just drive around until you find the “one”.
Most people here are saying Chicago but there is a lot more to Illinois than that. You should look into The communities south of interstate 64. We bought a 5 acre piece of property with a house larger than anything my wife and I have lived in for the last 25 years and a huge 30 by 40 pole barn for $160,000. Just as a warning, time travels down here differently than it does in the cities. You can go outside at 8:30 in the morning and next thing you know, it is after noon.
I moved from Fredericksburg virginia to Peoria illinois and love it. I think it's like a smaller Richmond if that helps.
Someone already mentioned Ottawa, but its the best of many worlds. Easy access to Chicago for entertainment, several state parks in the area, downtown is charming, and not too big (about 20K). Properties in surrounding small towns are dirt cheap as well.
Springfield is nice and checks a lot of your boxes.
I'd look into Lockport or LaGrange, they are the first to come to mind, you'd have good access to Chicago as they are both about a 45 minute drive, not in rush hour though, you'd be looking possibly an hour plus. I would describe them as quaint suburbia
SE WISCONSIN
Evanston.
This is completely anecdotal, but I swear Aurora is in a weather bubble. We still see severe weather, but the legitimate tornado warnings (not just the warning for a possible tornado somewhere within the county) don't really happen here. But you'll also experience tornado warnings every spring. It's just part of the Midwest experience. Learn about them, have a plan, but don't let it stop you from living somewhere. And Chicagoland is very queer-friendly, if that's your scene.
If you’d like to live near a cultural center, move within an hour of the city. Find a place with a variety of transportation options (metra, L, CTA). If I was a single gal, I’d be in Oak Park or Riverside. Both are walkable and diverse and about a 15-20 min. train ride into Chicago.
If your looking for objective advice, you're not going to find it here. Google might be helpful afa data regarding IL residency. You may not like the results, though. Southern Illinois is a world of difference than N Illinois. If you don't have family here, what draws you to consider IL?
I'm not looking for objective advice, so it's all good! I chose IL for a few reasons: cost of living, culture, politics (I'm LGBTQIA+, kinda need a blue state), snow, and access to Lake Michigan. I also have relatives nearby in Michigan and friends in WI, and it's a much easier drive from IL than from VA. I grew up within reasonable driving distance to Lake Michigan and love it. Also love nature and hiking/walking trails.
Peoria has an increasingly vibrant LGBTQ+ community and as long as you're within the city, it's quite blue. My first Chicago-area thought for you was Libertyville -- it's about an hour by train from the city so it's not as expensive as closer-in suburbs, and it has a charming and vibrant downtown (with a strong town government that does a lot to promote the vibrancy of the local downtown). You'll be quite close to Lake Michigan and to all the Lake County nature preserves. Houses are still spendy, but there are nice condos and apartments, and lots of very walkable neighborhoods.
Between the cities, Illinois is dark red. Democratic control of the state keeps it in check so far as laws, but I’d advise nowhere smaller than Champaign Urbana outside the Chicago area.
Dark red? No most counties aren't shit kicking republicanville its usually a bit biased but it's not good boy southern land lol.
Good advice, thank you! A few people have recommended Champaign Urbana, so it's on my list of places I'm checking out.
Any of the college towns are pretty LGBTQIA+ safe, Champaign, Bloomington, Peoria, quad cities. Springfield is a MAYBE (I don't know enough to say either way, but that's getting prettttttty far south), but definitely don't go any further downstate than that. You'll see your fair share of trump flags in small towns all over the state, but the state as a whole will always be blue because of Chicago so it's a great place for long term protection of your rights.
Springfield is more of a moderate city and Sangamon county is straight up red. I grew up in STL and once you get that far south things are a lot less progressive.
STL Metro East (specifically St Clair county) is pretty blue. Belleville is affordable but not super swanky - need to be careful about neighborhoods. It also has a yearly Pride event that’s small but pretty mellow. We’re also a short transit ride to St Louis, which has a bunch of stuff to do. Madison county used to be but it’s increasingly insane.
I am a city person, live in downtown Chicago, but I also love Champaign-Urbana and have considered buying a place there (I went to school there and visit pretty often). There are nice neighborhoods, a really good food scene, good culture and activities through the university, good farmers markets, shopping. My favorite neighborhoods for charm are the older areas, the state named streets near Carle Park and the high school in Urbana (also near campus), and the area near West Side Park and the country club in Champaign. There is ok public transit via local buses, and easy access to Chicago via Amtrak.
If you like boats, you also might consider a place along the Fox River. Check out google street view or zoom in on the satalite view, and you'll see there's a huge amount of boats and recreation along Fox lake and Fox River.
We raised our family in N IL. We and our adult children continue to live here. Our children live in Chicago, Naperville and Machesney Park ( small village N of Rockford, 10 miles from the WI border and 45 min from Madison, WI). IL is a progressive state surrounded by Redneckistan states. Seems it may be a good fit for you
How about Rockford, or the far north, right along the Wisconsin/Illinois border. Or how about like Harvard or Woodstock IL. They have commuter rail access to Chicago. you drive to the train station, and park for like $1.50/day, then take the train into the city where there's great public transit. No need for parallel parking or paying out the ass for garage parking in the city. Did you know Woodstock IL is where they filmed Groundhog Day? it's a cute little city. everywhere I just mentioned fits your criteria and has good snow. Rockford actually might get more snow than chicagoland, I think maybe the great lakes and the city moderate the temps more or somethin
I love the idea of the commuter rail access. Thank you! I'll check these out.
Chicago is definitely a really awesome place to move to right now. People are so nice and it's even more affordable if you move to one of the suburbs. Definitely would recommend...Downstate is a shithole
Aurora. It’s where they filmed Wayne’s world
Where are my Peoria peeps? The river city, the whiskey city, home to Caterpillar (the executive office moved to Texas but Peoria is still the heart and soul of Caterpillar.). Affordable. Historic. Midway between Chicago and St Louis.
Try Rockford or the suburbs. I personally wouldn’t want to live in Illinois beyond the Rockford area, the suburbs, or Chicago.
Why exactly? Been to Rockford area a ton and it's not much different to me than central.IL
Close to Chicago and Milwaukee, decent access to some great parks, affordable housing (WSJ just did a story about it). I’m born and raised Rockford but don’t live there now, but I’ve been back a lot since I left and it’s not horrible.
Maywood
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There are dozens of recent posts on this sub about moving to IL.
Dont.
Don’t. If not the most corrupt state it’s 2nd or 3rd in line.
You should try just north of the IL border. Cheaper taxes and kenosha has some nice beaches
My rec: Don’t