The good and bad of living in Streator

Daniel Carter Apr 10, 2026

OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 11 years ago from Portland and here's my honest breakdown:

Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 1-bed in Springfield. It's hit or miss for what you get.

Jobs: The market is developing right now, especially in retail. If you're in marketing you might struggle.

People: Generally decent. It took about 16 months to build a solid friend group.

Food: better than expected. Tons of options if you like Thai.

Would recommend to anyone considering it..

36 upvotes

Xavier Price Apr 9, 2026

OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 5 years ago from Tampa and here's my honest breakdown:

Housing: If you look outside the main areas you can find deals. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in Westside. It's excellent for what you get.

Jobs: The market is wild right now, especially in real estate. If you're in healthcare you might struggle.

People: Generally underrated. It took about 17 months to build a solid friend group.

Food: underrated. Tons of options if you like Thai.

Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for..

11 upvotes

kayden_walker Apr 7, 2026

As someone who grew up here, I have mixed feelings honestly. A lot has changed in the past few years though. weather used to be much reasonable but now it's tough.

5 upvotes