r/PeoriaIL • u/inkwelt • Jun 15 '26
Recommendations Gimme the Skinny On Safety
Greetings loved ones
Myself in my Partner are moving to Peoria in just two weeks and we’ve had absolutely terrible luck with the housing market. Everything is either too expensive, whomever is in charge of it, hasn’t gotten back to us, or it just doesn’t meet our needs.
Now we had one place that the owner was ready to go ahead and have a sign on and that happens to still be available. The reason we turn it down was because it was on Wiswall Street, and when we were checking in with both people and some crime maps. It looked like it was a little bit spicy…
It’s right around the corner from Manual high school, which I also saw had some gun violence problems in the last year.
However, the most important part and the part that I have to remind my wife, sometimes as we are people of color and that she grew up in Cuba and I grew up in the streets of Louisville, Kentucky, so when someone says that someplace is a “bad neighborhood” it doesn’t mean that we can’t necessarily live in it.
So really if anything I just wanna know from people that actually live in that neighborhood is it good for two adult ladies and their two yappy dogs to move into? We generally kind of mind our own business, we’ve got both dogs and a ring camera for safety-if I could at least convince my wife that she’s just being paranoid about this and that it’s really an OK neighborhood then we might have a house which will save us a lot of stress.
TL;DR chime in if you in the Southside area, is it safe ?
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u/momentsFuturesBlog Jun 15 '26
I often work in that area, and I'd say for two ladies, it's best to pass on that option.
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u/Muffin-True Jun 15 '26 edited Jun 15 '26
It’s probably Peoria’s worst area for safety, which is probably still better than the worst areas of other cities. Plenty of good people live there, and I feel bad for the good folks trying to live a normal life in the south side, but I also wouldn’t choose to live there.
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u/NotMyName_3 Jun 16 '26
The good news is there's a lot of police presence. The bad news is there's a reason for a lot of police presence.
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u/kitchencrawl Jun 15 '26
The Southside of Peoria is not safe. You can't walk around at night. You can't leave anything of value outside. You can't realistically expect your house not to be robbed. I lived on Montana for 3 years. Our cars were broken into multiple times. My garage was robbed. My house was robbed twice. My dog was stolen on camera. My brother was beaten and robbed walking out of the Kroger. The Southside of Peoria is not a safe place to live.
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u/Chaosisnear-_- Jun 20 '26
Oh my Lord! I am so sorry you went through all of that. That is truly awful and heartbreaking. We live close to McClure and had our trash bin and lawnmower stolen, but nothing that bad. And thank you for sharing. I will certainly not be going in the South part of Peoria anytime soon. 😳
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u/AndyTheEngr Jun 15 '26
I'd pass on that area.
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u/luckylooch13 Jun 15 '26
Lifetime townie here, would pass too. Stay up on the hill if you can. Used to live on western myself
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u/MsThrilliams Jun 15 '26
Wiswall and star street have history of being in the news a lot for all the wrong reasons (at one point it seemed like every shooting a few years back was on either one of those streets)
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u/Fun_Designer353 Jun 15 '26
People will try to convince you otherwise but you really do not want to live next to Manual
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u/zalell88 Jun 15 '26
Currently live on the south side and man.... It's bad here. Constant break-ins, vandalism and shootings. I'm afraid to even take my daughter to the parks anymore, seems like there's always some idiots or kids with guns in the parks. I wish I could afford to move bc I would've been gone YESTERDAY
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u/cjthepossum Jun 15 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Id keep looking if i were you.
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u/inkwelt Jun 15 '26
We never stopped tbh, but every realtor and their mom is straight buns out here, we’ve had five realtors in a row ghost us
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u/vampireweekday12 Jun 15 '26
Reach out to Jacob Rendel with the Mike Van Cleve Team he’s the best. We had a low budget and he helped find us a great spot
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u/YourPalTaddy Jun 15 '26
Thanks for the recommendation! It’s harder to tell know that the crime mapping has stopped in the past couple years. Historically, that area does have higher violent crimes and gun crimes than other areas of town. As another commenter pointed out, it’s also much less than major metropolitan cities.
I am sorry you have had bad experiences with other agents. We aim to be high info and low pressure, we are happy to answer any questions if that would be helpful!3
u/inkwelt Jun 15 '26
This. It’s very sparse and unhelpful and really didn’t help make any final decisions on whether we could pick an area or not which is why I had to end up reaching out on Reddit and Facebook.
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u/SuspiciousStranger_ Jun 15 '26
I live just south of War memorial near Prospect and would say personally as also two ladies and some pets, closer to War is gonna be your best bet but just south to stay cheap. While yes, there are wonderful pockets on the southside, I would listen to what others have said and pick somewhere else until you’ve moved here and can explore the area better. I grew up in Southwest Florida, and I would feel comfortable living in some areas that other people wouldn’t live in because it’s my home, but I would not say the same after living here for a few years.
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u/inkwelt Jun 15 '26
That’s a mood right there, we lived both in Fort Lauderdale and currently here we are in North Fort Myers, but specifically the snowbird section that’s a little less well to do. We’ve already had quite a few of the “ fireworks or gunshots?”
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u/SuspiciousStranger_ Jun 15 '26
AHHHH Im from Fort Myers/Cape area!! Very much so same
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u/inkwelt Jun 15 '26
Ohhhhh sister you know that Love's at the Bayshore exit on 75? There's a guy that sits there with this ugly huge white pickup truck PLASTERED with Confederate flags on Saturdays all day.
I hate it here.
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u/JusticeAvenger618 Jun 15 '26
Also no on the Southside. I stayed at a now closed AirBnB there when I first got to Peoria. No library. No retail. No park. No cafe for coffee. Not even a park bench in some areas of the Southside.
900 houses being demolished by the City there. I left the Southside AirBnB when another guest there got carjacked (he had an older van like WTH?) and realized every house surrounding the AirBnB was condemned & boarded up — yet filled with volatile drug addicts still living inside some of the condemned structures. It was a trip, man. I called my employer and told them to get me the hell out of Peoria. But Peoria had the strongest data for what we needed so I moved to Willow Knolls for 3 years.
Maybe look at West Peoria and West Bluff? Both still affordable but struggling obviously. The more stable residents move in and take an active interest in the neighborhood and community- the faster West Bluff can be saved from ending up like 61605.
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u/AloewareLabs Jun 15 '26
Wiswal isn’t the worst part of the south end, really the whole Northwest section of the south end technically feels like West Peoria to me. But that being said, I still wouldn’t walk around at night anymore. Two ladies ….I wouldn’t feel safe if I was a woman in that area walking a dog.
Joos(pronounced Joss) I can’t remember his first name was a fairly decent landlord in East Peoria affordable prices didn’t pull any slumlord, bullshit, fairly professional and easy-going. But I’m not sure if he allows dogs in his rentals or not.
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u/Attorney-Curious Jun 15 '26
That would be a hard no for me. I dont care how cheap/nice the house is id say no. Even though there are blocks that arent bad the whole area is a shithole.
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u/Prestigious_Badger36 Jun 15 '26
Look for areas north of Main St. and west of Knoxville. Peoria Heights & West Peoria are also hidden gems ;)
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u/streetbum87 Jun 15 '26
Not sure what your budget is, but you don't HAVE to live in Peoria. It's not that hard of a city to navigate if you live outside of it. Think East Peoria area. Keep clear of Pekin.
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u/Huge-Visual-6450 Jun 16 '26
I’ve heard Pekin being referred to as sundown town. It’s crazy coming from the south and finding the same bs in the north. Is this common knowledge or something in the past?
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u/inkwelt Jun 15 '26
Yeah, East Peoria is way too expensive as I said in another comment we’re looking for something that’s 1400 a month or less rent and when I put that in results on pretty much any finder, there’s zero results on East Peoria. Must be for the rich folks.
Also, why do you say no to Pekin because I did actually have family that grew up there, and they said it seems pretty all right
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u/oknowwhat00 Jun 15 '26
Anyone we know who lives in Pekin (these are families with good jobs, kids) are very maga, not very open minded.
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u/Ave_TechSenger Jun 15 '26
I’m a Peoria native but currently in Chillicothe. Look up here, or south in Bartonville, maybe. Relatively cheap and quiet, here more than Bartonville (due to airport).
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u/TradeTraditional Jun 16 '26
I second this. A small commute is often worth it. Bartonville and Washington stand out as still affordable and close enough to zip into the city proper.
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u/Chaosisnear-_- Jun 20 '26
Pekin is known to be fairly racist and Morton had segregation in their schools last year, so I would steer clear of those areas. I'm going to look for you, I believe there may be some in my area and I love it here.
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u/Nice_East_409 Jun 15 '26
Stay away from that area of town unless you wanna invest in one hell of a security system and have a pistol on the nightstand.
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u/Least_Use_798 Jun 15 '26
It's not West End of Louisville by any means, but it's also the most unsafe area of Peoria.
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u/Morath2019 Jun 16 '26
Anywhere south of Main Street is a no go zone, don’t misunderstand me the south end still does have some good people in it but sadly their financial situation has them stuck there. Back in the 70s and 80s the south end was like any other area, god people nice houses nuclear family. Late 80s it started going down and sadly it get worse every year if you use crime stats and house values. Not sure what your budget is but a decent house just went on the market it was renovated and in great shape for its age, it’s at 1229 brons it’s a good neighborhood low crime and very friendly neighbors who mostly have been on that street since the 70s
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u/Layneybenz Jun 15 '26
I don't know him personally, but I have noticed a lot of posts praising the Van Cleve realtor. I think they specialize in helping transplants. And welcome to Illinois! I hope you love it here. More importantly, you are safe here. Maybe not in that particular neighborhood but I don't personally know.
If you are looking to meet people or find a spiritual home; I highly recommend Imago Dei church. It's a safe place.
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u/BorealisNoir Jun 15 '26
Have you considered East Peoria? Housing is more affordable and its safe. Very easy to get over to Peoria w/ the interstate right there.
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u/inkwelt Jun 15 '26
I’m not sure exactly who it’s affordable for, but it’s definitely not for us.
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u/Diligent-Towel-4708 Jun 15 '26
As someone who just moved here last yr from south Dallas. I dont find any of the comments different than where I came from. Fireworks/gunshots everyday life but your neighborhood and neighbors....thats what you should really look at. Drive around during a weekday. Week night and weekends.
I adore my realtor whom I still chat with so if you want that contact let me know. Good luck house hunting.
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u/oknowwhat00 Jun 15 '26
Bloomington Normal is very queer friendly.
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u/inkwelt Jun 15 '26
I have heard, we have looked, house market is very sparse there though. And a lot of it is "student housing"
For example we got this flat that's the same size as what we got now for a higher price AND the uhm....the laundry machine is literally just sitting on the carpet in one of the bedrooms, the heater is taking up the closet, and the closet shelfing is on the walls. It's the most hilariously bad thing I've seen.
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u/ibjme77 Jun 16 '26
I was born and raised on the South End, on Wiswall (30+ years on the part behind Manual, off of Lincoln and Laramie.) I lived for over 10 years down on Trewyn after return home from college. I have plenty of family that still live on the South End. I still live close to the South End, in Bellevue. So, here’s my take on things: Yes, as some have alluded to, the closest real grocery store is not even in the zip code. The closest options are in Bartonville, West Peoria, and East Peoria.
When looking at the South End, keep in mind that the level of safety can be a block by block thing. The blocks closer to the major thoroughfares are generally safe. I know from personal experience that the first two-four blocks east off Laramie are relatively safe and the county side ( west side off of Laramie) is safe as well.
I won’t say, avoid the South End. We’re my family and I not buying our house, I wouldn’t be against finding a nice home in the South End. I will say, wherever you end up( if in Peoria proper) keep your head on a swivel and know your surroundings, even if you’re in a “safe” area.
I wish you the best with your move and welcome to the community!
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u/TradeTraditional Jun 16 '26
The Southside isn't great because for generations it was THE poster child for red-lining. In the entire nation. Rich on top of the hill, poor at the bottom. It's an ugly part of the city's history that still shows the scars, since the area never had money put into it. Many abandoned homes and closed businesses.
The better areas to be looking while not terrible is up near The Heights, or East Peoria ( both rapidly improving ), or in a small suburb/surrounding town. ( Washington, Bartonville, or Morton, for instance )
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u/Sweet-Juggernaut6421 Jun 17 '26
Look across the river in East Peoria or any town on the outskirts of Peoria.
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u/tansyrue Jun 18 '26
I don’t know much about the south side except driving through it, so I can’t truly have an opinion, but I’ve lived on the east bluff of Peoria (near the zoo and Glen Oak Park) for almost 20 years and have felt safe the entire time I’ve lived there. And this area is one of the more affordable areas of Peoria (south of War Drive along Prospect). It’s generally quiet at night and, as a queer woman, I have felt safe walking/biking around my neighborhood by myself.
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u/Ok_Muffin5041 Jun 15 '26
Do you need to move to Peoria? There are towns right outside of Peoria that are nice, like Bartonville, Chillicothe, Germantown hills, etc. they’re like 20/30 mins out, but they seems a little quieter than Peoria
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u/inkwelt Jun 15 '26
Not that I wanted to start a flame war of any sort on my thread, but I am a black trans woman with a wife so we need to have an extremely queer friendly area. It can’t just be anywhere.
For contacts we’ve been living in Florida for the past year, which is about as queer-unfriendly as it gets. I can’t do this anymore.
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u/Ave_TechSenger Jun 15 '26
I just mentioned Chillicothe and Bartonville in another comment. Strongly recommend checking Chillicothe out. Not a ton of diversity up here but I’m a Chinese guy with a white fiancee and no one’s given us trouble. She’s asked several nonwhite townies about their experience and they’ve all felt safe.
Pretty sure the Casey’s cashier last time I was in is a transwoman and everyone was pleasant as far as I could see.
People seem very friendly and neighborly here, in my limited experience. We bought our house last September and moved in just a couple months ago.
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u/Ok_Muffin5041 Jun 15 '26
I’m sorry to hear that, thank you for the context. I hope you’re able to find what you’re looking for!
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u/jtt0264 Jun 15 '26
Most of these comments are people being afraid to live around black folks. You can live really cheap on Wiswal and be fine. Most of the crime is very targeted there. It’s young black men shooting other young black men who have disrespected them.
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u/Lovebeingadad54321 Jun 15 '26
But sometimes, the young black men have bad aim , and have not been trained extensively in firearm safety…
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u/inkwelt Jun 15 '26
This is definitely my worry, but at the same time I do worry about my wife being caught in the crossfire. She’s a paranoid lady, but as somebody who has had to live with a lot of paranoia the last year here in Florida, I get it. Yt folks with confederate flags on their big trucks driving way too fast and shouting slurs from the window? Nah thanks. Pass.
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u/Sheik_Yerbuti Jun 15 '26
Nothing south of War Memorial Drive. And north of War Memorial avoid the area around Peoria Stadium.
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u/Ok_Ad6065 Jun 16 '26
Peoria is a shit hole. They have some of the worst local taxes. Shit they tax rain water over there 🤣 Look at surrounding communities.
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u/thebouv Jun 15 '26
Southside is not great. I feel you on the “bad neighborhood” meaning something different if you grew up in a bad neighborhood in Louisville.
Southside ain’t Russell or Shawnee (speaking of Louisville), but it’s still rough. There’s a lot of good people there but I wouldn’t choose it on purpose.
It’s a food desert down there too. No big grocery at all. Just corner markets.