Peoria , IL . Opinions needed .

[DodgeSqD]

Looking at the area to relocate family .
The unemployment in Florida is between 10 -12 % , with no real change in site .
How are the schools , middle and high .
How are the emissions in the area , In Florida we have none .
The wife and I have just started to look .
Any info will be helpful .


Thanks
Larry

[brandofamily]

Are you referring to Peoria?

[DodgeSqD]

Yes , I do mean Peoria .
Spell check missed that one .

[brandofamily]

http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Illinois/Peoria/index.html

My brother lives in Dunlap, north of Peoria. He would not have moved there if schools were not good. Check out the links below...
http://www.dunlapcusd.net/

http://www.psk12.com/rating/USindexphp/STATE_IL.html

http://schools.chicagotribune.com/

Caterpillar has a big plant there too. Not sure how to get a job there, but it is there...

[dakfink]

What are your fields of work?

There is a lot to think about before moving!!

We (wife and 3 kids) looked all over the US and with my work (Aviation) decided to stay where we are in Texas as any job that pays decent-to-well would require me to travel or live in places I wouldn't want my kids to grow up.

Texas is a good place to be, but it also depends on what you need for work.

Schools, Work, Taxes, Conveinances, etc. etc.

It took us 2.5 yrs of serious looking and the entire US open to our options before we settled on Texas.

Hell we even had several countries at our option and decided to stay in Texas.

[DodgeSqD]

I am a door and window installer and have my own business. I primarily subcontract to the home improvement chains. We are holding our own, but quality of life doesn't seem to be as good as it used to be. Unemployment is high, foreclosures everywhere and lots of people moving up from Miami. My wife just went to a new doctor and told me her choices on the paperwork were hispanic, african american or non-hispanic. Crime is getting worse. It is still beautiful here, but with two growing boys, we are looking for cooler weather and even some snow. Wife has a B.S. in journalism and well versed in administrative and writing. Looking for a good business community with that small town feel. I have been asked to interview in Peoria, but salary offered is a little low. Also, we love boating, but my wife wants to say good-bye to the alligators. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[DodgeSqD]

http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Illinois/Peoria/index.html

My brother lives in Dunlap, north of Peoria. He would not have moved there if schools were not good. Check out the links below...
http://www.dunlapcusd.net/

http://www.psk12.com/rating/USindexphp/STATE_IL.html

http://schools.chicagotribune.com/

Caterpillar has a big plant there too. Not sure how to get a job there, but it is there...

Thanks for the great information. We'll definitely check them out. I did hear Dunlap was excellent for schools. How is the employment situation up there? I have been asked to interview for a job, but the salary seems a little low. Thanks again!!

[Axiom]

I've been an Illinois native for 25 years. I'm in the Chicagoland area and could not recommend it. The weather sucks. My last two governors have been indited. The roads are terrible. Chicago is run by the mob. The people are assholes. Ect. The schools in my area used to very good but are quickly going down the shitter due to lack of funding. The housing market blows. You can probably find a decent place to live pretty cheap.

I have a buddy who has lived in Peoria for the last 6 years. He's getting his doctorate from Bradley. From what he tells me, it's not any different down there than it is up here.

I've been trying for the last year to get a job in Austin to get away from this place. I'd listen to dakfink and look at Texas.

[dakfink]

Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex Texas!!!!

Big City that is still pretty friendly!!!

You can be out in the cow pastures in less that 30mins from downtown.

Schools are decent to good.

Snow at tolerable levels, 2-4 inches.

Texas also hasn't been hit by the housing crash as hard. Thing more or less went stale not crashed.

In Killeen (aka Ft Hood) they are building houses like crazy.

I actually Had to have a house built this last year because a 2000+sq/ft 4bd 3bt + house fror $250k couldn't be found!!!

Talking to my realtor, she said that a lot of people have been leaving the west and coming to Texas.

I will warn you the Property taxes will scare you but when you look at the Total Tax libility you actually come out with a better deal.

My Tax liabilities:
Property $7200
2006 Mercedes $75
2004 Ram 3500 $78
1999 Dak R/T $58
16' CarTrailer $105

No Income Taxes, No Taxes on Groceries, No Taxes on Prescription Drugs.

7.25% sales tax.

Also if your a Disabled Vet you get a tax break. If you have a Farm you get a Tax Break. Once you turn 60 you get a tax break.

I was born in Texas but grew up in Ga. Glad I came back!!!

If you look at Texas stay North and West of Houston and away from the Gulf Coast. Property Taxes down there are 3.25%+

[Wolf360rt]

I live just outside of Peoria, Metamora to be exact.. its fairly nice and growing quite a bit lately.. as for middle schools im not sure but me and the girlfriend were actually talking about high schools in the area the other day.. and we decided that the Metamora, Washington, and Dunlap are the best area schools and the cleanest. All three are with in 10 minutes of peoria and 15-20 from downtown Peoria. The unemployment rate right now is 10.7% and seems to be falling. I saw in one of your posts that you love boating the Illinois river is teaming with boat traffic during the summer.. Peoria also has alot of family friendly events down on the river front during the summer... I have been living down here since 04 and havent had any problems except people cant drive worth a crap..lol.. but you will have that everywhere.. anything else you wanna know.

[Wolf360rt]

oh the nearest 1/4 mile track is about a 2 hour drive. And there is a lot of good car clubs up here and there is a car show/ cruise in almost every weekend. The local forum I belong to does a lot of race events where we rent out the track for the day and go to town..lol..

[Nitrohog]

I live a couple hours north in the Rockford area and I wouldn't recommend it. The weather sucks, the state government sucks, the unemployment is getting worse and to top it all of we have to deal with Chicago politics including the infringement on our constitutional rights. If all of my family wasn't here I would be out in a heartbeat, in fact when I was laid off I was seriously looking for jobs in Texas, Arizona, NM, ect.

[360 XRT]

i've lived in IL. for 45 years.I say take a look somewhere else,this state is in BAD shape right now,REAL BAD !

[thatoneguy]

Roads are crap!!! Car clubs are good. shows in summer about every weekend. places to hang and talk are close depending on what outer town you move to there is Pekin Morton Washington Eureka lots around with good schools jobs are starting to hire again to. So good luck and hope to see you soon.

[1FASTASSR/T]

Larry,
I think you might want to stay away from Il. from what everyone is saying.
Look around the SE and SW. I have lived in all four courners and been through the mid west too.
I have been here in the Carolina's(Charlotte area) for 15 years and it is great.
The area that DakFink is talking about is good to. I am still at tha Toyota dealership and loving it!
What ever you do, good luck my friend.

[dakfink]

Yep!! Where I am at is good for yout career field right now!!

We bought a fece through Lowes and they had to get a contractor out of Dallas (3 hrs away) to do the job.

They are constantly building and remodeling houses around here.

Also we are only 45 min north of the Middle of Austin.

Lots of Music of all sorts on 6th Street.

Lake Travis is a HUGE lake, on the North west side. There are other smaller lakes around as well.

There are a lot of smaller country type communities to live in outside of Austin.

I'm pretty much right in the Middle of anything worth doing in Texas. 3hrs to DFW, Houston or San Antonio. 6 hrs to Chorpus Christi beaches.

If you like drag racing there is more drag strips in just in the Tri-City Triangle (DFW, Houston, San Antonio) than in any other state. And even more of you venture out to places like Midland-Odessa, Abilene, Nagadoches.

The people are a bit more friendly and social as well. My wife who didn't grow up in the US hates Georgia and Florida because of the people. She says Texas has the nicest and friendliest people she has met in the US so far. (we also lived in Va for a while).

[thatoneguy]

If I was to move it would be to Bristol, Tennessee roads are smooth curvy roads and mountains. Plus the wife and I have season tickets to NASCAR track there and the list goes on and on LOL.

[dapitbull2009]

I Live Near St. Louis on the Illinois side. If it wasnt for my fiance having a good career and most likely wont get laid off we would move. Illinois sucks. Our Strip closed down. Bogus shi! the only thing good we have going in my area is the refinery. Texas seems like its the only place to go. i wouldnt be able to move there though. Illegals are taking all the jobs.

[dapitbull2009]

My Grandparents moved From Alton Illinois to Granbury Texas and they said they wouldnt have changed it one bit its great.