Hey, I've been here for 12 years and It's a a small town city with about 21,798 people. Average temperature is around 62--F, so the weather is moderate. The parks and outdoor areas are a huge plus. Downtown has improved a lot in recent years. Any advice would be great. The weather takes some getting used to. Traffic can be rough during rush hour, no sugarcoating that. It's changing fast -some good, some not so much. The parks and outdoor areas are a huge plus. The weather takes some getting used to. The city has invested a lot in new development. It's not perfect, but the community is solid. The school system varies a lot by neighborhood. Public transit needs a lot of work honestly. Public transit needs a lot of work honestly. People here are genuinely friendly, not just surface-level.
1 upvotes
8 Replies
Gloria H.
Weather-wise, the summers are pretty good and winters are developing. You get used to it after the first year.
32 upvotes
Carter M.
If you're remote, this place is great for cost of living. there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. Internet is solid in most areas.
29 upvotes
Hannah Lee
Hot take but it's exactly what I was looking for. I know a lot of people disagree but after 15 years here, that's my honest assessment.
28 upvotes
Lucy R.
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a electrician who relocated here from Houston about 4 years ago. The main reasons were weather and a fresh start.
Pros I've experienced:
- Friendly community, easy to meet people
- Good internet infrastructure
- Active local events and festivals
Cons that are real:
- Rising rent and home prices
- Not very walkable outside downtown
Financially, we've found it improving compared to where we came from. The market is competitive but not impossible. Groceries are affordable, gas is underrated.
Socially, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for..
21 upvotes
Adrian Smith
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value weather, you'll love it. The dating scene is genuinely better than expected and I've found I genuinely enjoy living here. My neighborhood (Cedar Grove) is affordable and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Miami, be prepared for the culture shock. job market is completely different here. And Summers can be brutally hot.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
12 upvotes
Declan Campbell
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem surprisingly good.
I've been here 6 years and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. The thing nobody mentions is public transit. It's wild and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the traffic is legit. And if you're into golfing, this place is better than expected.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Springfield side vs the Oak Park side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Would recommend to anyone considering it..
9 upvotes
Addison Bennett
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 3 years ago from Minneapolis and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: Lots of new construction which should help. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in West. It's average for what you get.
Jobs: The market is growing right now, especially in engineering. If you're in construction you might struggle.
People: Generally decent. It took about 13 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: hit or miss. Tons of options if you like BBQ.
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