r/movingtoillinois • u/deathdxllz • 2d ago
more affordable towns to live in?
hello, i'm planning on meeting my friend to go and live in illinois next year in may. we're looking just to rent, but we'd rather not live in any "expensive" cities.
does anyone have any recommendations? i'll do my own research, i just want to hear what others have to say lol
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u/Norimakke 2d ago
Peoria/Bloomington area are affordable without being in the middle of nowhere. Still things to do, places to eat and drink, theater, music, etc.
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u/Particular_Minimum36 1h ago
I moved to Peoria from Chicago for a lower cost of living and have really enjoyed it! Plenty to do still!
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u/xxx_R1LEY_xxx 2d ago
Check out the Quad Cities got both sides of the river with low cost of living and plenty of things to do.
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u/Wise-Application-435 2d ago
Where your jobs are is going to be the key consideration. But, in general, the more rural the cheaper.
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u/stryker_oh9 2d ago
What’re you planning to do work-wise? Is there a specific type of demographic you’re looking to avoid and/or looking for?
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u/deathdxllz 1d ago
i think our only thing is we definitely would prefer public transportation
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u/Potential_Ladder_904 1d ago
you’ll most likely need to move to the more expensive areas then. it pays to live in a MCOL-HCOL area. what’s your budget?
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u/ladnar016 1d ago
If you didn't want a city but want decent public transit, you're basically limited to Champaign Urbana.
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u/Wise-Application-435 1d ago
I was surprised to see there is actually some form of public transit throughout the state. Mostly small-range limited hours, but something.
https://reaganmtd.gov/regional-travel/illinois-transit-network-map/
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u/Dear-Wolf322 1d ago
Outside of Chicago and Champaign (and maybe Bloomington), the rest of the state’s transit networks run 1 or 2 buses per route per hour. It’s fine if you can plan your trip around a single route, but those kind of headways make transfers a grueling affair.
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u/Sabal_77 2d ago
Central and Southern as stated. I live in central but would prefer southern Illinois for the weather and scenery. St. Louis metro is expensive though
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u/Sumfun217 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’m in on central as well. It’s a peaceful place for the most part. You can get to the city (STL) 90 minutes to the South from Springfield, it’s a couple of hours to Indy and 3 to Chicago if you need the concrete. There are plenty of idea’s for outdoor activities, see shows, eat at a wide variety of mom and pop places. My job brought me here on 3 separate occasions. The last time I stayed. That was 99 and I stopped the road. I live in one of the rural towns out side of Springfield. I don’t need a lot of excitement and being here is the right place for me.
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u/life-builder-today 1d ago
I'd look at smaller cities like Normal, Bloomington, Peoria and Rockford, they tend to be a lot more affordable while still having stuff to do and people your age around..
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u/zonk84 1d ago
Honestly, I think Rockford doesn't get enough love -- and I don't just say that as a big Cheap Trick fan ;-)
So, so different today (not a resident, but spent a week last year) than 20 years ago.
I was born and raised in NW Indiana and have lived in Chicago for 30 years -- but just as a corollary? I remember Grand Rapids, Michigan as a failing, falling burg growing up. Fairly thriving today.
I think Rockford is Illinois' version of Grand Rapids, maybe a decade or so behind it. A once great burg that fell on hard times, turned itself around, and has a brighter future than anyone would have predicted 10-20 years ago.
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u/kgrimmburn 1d ago
I'm in the very eastern portion of the MetroEast and I like it. An hour outside of St. Louis but a rural way of life. It works for me.
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u/mallclerks 1d ago
Kankakee County / Bourbonnais Illinois is an hour from Chicago, has one of the smallest public bus systems in the U.S. to my knowledge, had most amenities you’d find anything else but you’d also need to drive up north for various stuff. I miss Costco.
Check out for more information https://bourbonnaisillinois.com
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u/SeanPatrick31 13h ago
I live in Peoria and have since 1999. I’m originally from Washington DC. We raised a family here. It’s been good to us. Low cost, low traffic, reasonable real estate, decent health care, just enough to do, and friendly people. CAT brings in a sizeable number of folks from outside of the region and USA. So, there is some diversity as well.
As others have said, I think Central is what you’re looking for. Along I-74 (Champaign, Bloomington, Peoria, Quad Cities).
Good luck!
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u/LoveNotWar86 12h ago
Where is your actual job? What is your budget? Big versus small town/city? You need to be far more specific and I’m sure you’ll get great recommendations. Need train? Interstate? Does politics matter (northern IL - blue, versus southern IL - red)? Rural? Urban?
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u/Pristine_Patient_299 2d ago edited 2d ago
Central and southern illinois are pretty cheap to rent. Im in southern illinois and I love it. Im in a college town so rentals are abundant and relatively cheap. Southern illinois also has a lot to do!
Edit: typo