Advice on moving to IL?

Foxwood_Meadows · #1 02/21/15, 07:54 AM

Good morning everyone.
I'm seeking opinions on what it's like to live in IL, particularly rural central and/or NW IL. What are taxes/cost of living? What are land considerations when looking for property? Is pesticide drift from commercial farms a major problem? How are schools, generally, in the state? Any advice you have to offer is appreciated.

We are currently in south FL and have been mostly urban homesteading for the last 10 years. We grow veggies, herbs and the like, but on a small scale. The only livestock we have are rabbits, but they're just used for garden fertilizer and showing. Like many people on here, we dream about going rural. There is a job prospect in IL that would allow us to live anywhere from central to the NW block (because of travel). From my research so far, it looks like we can get about 10 acres for the price of our little sliver of city, but I am particularly concerned about things like state income taxes (we don't have them in FL) and the general cost of living. Basically everything outside of housing.

Thanks for any advice.
FM

snowlady · #2 02/21/15, 08:30 AM

I live fairly close to where you are considering. Yep, income tax, yep property tax. We moved about five miles, doubled our property size and traded a 150 year old house for a 20 year old house and property tax went down $600. That is something to really check on. Winters can be harsh but the subzero doesn't last too long. Summers can be pretty hot but that doesn't last too long either. The growing season is long. You can grow pretty much what ever you want. Cost of living is pretty cheap I think. There are not too many areas that grow organic or non GMO so, yes, your neighbors will probably be using chemicals on their farms. Good luck and welcome to the neighborhood.

TnAndy · #3 02/21/15, 09:35 AM

If you have any firearms, sell them before you leave FL. You'd be moving to the most gun unfriendly State in the Union.

Callieslamb · #4 02/21/15, 09:44 AM

We've moved from a non-income taxed state to an income taxed one....but found that the sales tax is much less so we don't feel the difference so much. When we moved from Ia ( no sales tax on food)a to TN (9% sales tax) my grocery budget hurt to the tune of $75 a month. When we moved to MI, I didn't even bother to worry about it. It is what it's going to be and Mi is where the job was. So we went. I really don't notice any difference in having a state income tax. Didn't much care since we had to move to Mi to keep the job so it didn't matter.

You might go here http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/
to see how the cost of living compares in each city.

Google the town also online and you can find all about the schools, etc. You can even do a street view google map peek.

**GREENCOUNTYPETE** · #5 02/21/15, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TnAndy

If you have any firearms, sell them before you leave FL. You'd be moving to the most gun unfriendly State in the Union.

that's not true its at least the 5th or 6th , NY , NJ ,MASS, CONN, and California are worse

any way here is the warning ILL is run by Chicago and they have no understanding or idea what is or happens outside the greater Chicago area , much like New York state is a very different place than NYC the rest of ILL is a very different place from Chicago the voters of the rest of the state are out numbered and forgotten about

we call it forgotten about ILL

we live in Southwest Wisconsin just 10-15 minutes from north west Ill

SueMc · #6 02/21/15, 10:32 AM

Much of the land in Central IL is prime farm ground so can be very expensive per acre. Our 35 acres was about $3800/Ac because some of it is marginal for crops, with woods and ravines. We took the "good" acres out of corn and beans and now have very nice pastures/hayfields. Our land is not typical for this area because we are very close to a large lake with all the uneven land and woods that goes along with it.
Our neighbors have flat farm ground that is valued for around $10,000/ac. When any of it comes up for sale it sells fast at around that price. The black soil in this area is rich, deep and will grow about anything. The farmers do use pesticides, herbicides but I'm not sure how much drift there is. I have seen an occasional crop dusting plane but not near our place. Most of the farmers I know plant GMO seed although some have converted back to non-GMO. There is a grain/feed business not far from here that only sells non-gmo.

I don't know what ground costs in other areas of the state but assume it might be cheaper in the south.
NW (and Southern) IL is beautiful compared to the Central area.

I don't have anything to compare the schools to since we've been here most of our lives. I do think the kids who graduate from SOME of the smaller schools might have to do a little catching up when they go to college.

I don't know what the stats are but there has been a lot in the news lately about many businesses that are leaving the state for states that offer better incentives.

TNAndy mentions gun ownership. I know that IL is the last state to pass concealed carry but other than that most everyone we know are very well armed. Finding unlimited amts of ammo is a problem but it sounds like that is a problem everywhere. In our area of the state, hunting is very good. There are so many deer around here that they are destructive pests (my opinion). We had 18 the other day in just one pasture.

Politics are kind of interesting here as IL has had it's fair share of convicts who are ex governors!

snowlady · #7 02/21/15, 10:41 AM

GCP has a point. Chicago thinks it runs the show. For as rural of an area that I live in, it always amazes me how many people have really no idea about farming and agriculture in general. We had both of our kids take at least intro to ag in high school. We felt living where we do it was important for them to know exactly what was putting the bread and butter on their table. Most of the towns have some type of farmers market in the summer.

mekasmom · #8 02/21/15, 10:46 AM

Don't move to Illinois if you can avoid it. Pick MO or Iowa if you can. MO is the better pick of the two, but Iowa has low housing costs in rural areas.
Stay in the country to keep your taxes lower.
If you absolutely have to go to Illinois then choose a country home.

Foxwood_Meadows · #9 02/21/15, 10:51 AM

Thanks for the responses. I didn't even think about firearm laws. Pretty used to urban politics after living in Miami and PB for so long, but on a local level, I guess.
The job is based in Peoria with regular travel to Rockford, so finding a place between them would be the goal. I'm so interested in taxes because it would be a lateral move, mainly for a lifestyle change and not more money, though a lower cost of living could make it seem like a raise in pay. That calculator was great, thanks! Much better than some of the others I've seen.
Thanks again. This is all a lot of food for thought.

snowlady · #10 02/21/15, 11:47 AM

Looks like I'm right smack in the middle of your commute.

JLMissouri · #11 02/21/15, 03:25 PM

For anyone wanting to be self sufficient and free Illinois is heading in the wrong direction. Illinois has higher taxes, more regulation and a heavily indebted government compared to its surrounding states. It is the California of the midwest. It is only going to get worse, as stated Chicago controls the state and it is loosing population as people move to better freer states.

That said Illinois does have great fertile farm ground and a lower cost of living than many places. In the rural areas there are some great people and lots of small towns with cheaper housing compared to say the west or east coast.

I think fear of drift from commercial farmers is overrated. Farmers are not going to spend money spraying unless they have too, and expensive chemicals drifting away from where they want them doesn't help anyone. I have lived surrounded by commercial farms my entire life and have not ever had a problem with drift. While I wish my neighbors wouldn't use any chemicals I have bigger worries.

To sum it up I would rather live in Florida any day than Illinois, and if I was going to move you would have to pay me very well to consider Illinois, there are just so many better freer and cheaper places to live that are not going as fast in the wrong direction.

Miss Kay · #12 02/21/15, 03:48 PM

Are you sure you are ready to give up the Florida climate for IL? I've never lived there but when I compare MO growing season to South Texas (zone 9) it is like night and day. While they are iced over (this weekend) we are enjoying 80's and my pasture is green and growing.

SueMc · #13 02/21/15, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLMissouri

To sum it up I would rather live in Florida any day than Illinois, and if I was going to move you would have to pay me very well to consider Illinois, there are just so many better freer and cheaper places to live that are not going as fast in the wrong direction.

I know it's all about perception but I'd rather live anywhere else other than FL. My daughter and SIL live South of Tampa and are working on getting out. There are too many people especially when the "snow birds" move down during the winter. There's nothing more annoying than some rude northeasterners trying to run over you at a grocery store. There's a huge sense of entitlement among some of them because "they spend money" in FL. My DD and SIL also have a legit worry about being able to evacuate from FL in case of an emergency. We used to go to FL every year when I was a kid and I loved FL then but it's just not the same place other than the ranch areas in Central FL or maybe parts of the panhandle.
Personally I'd rather live back in the hills in Middle or Eastern TN than anywhere else but I'm tied to IL by job, property and grandchildren!

KimTN · #14 02/21/15, 05:02 PM

Oh, don't forget the tornadoes. I was sitting in Illinois, eating in a restaurant, and casually watched a twister go by. We have those in Tennessee, but not like Illinois.

The X governors do make lovely license plates and the state government is really broke.

**GREENCOUNTYPETE** · #15 02/21/15, 05:22 PM

the gun thing , yes they were dead last in getting concealed carry , that said the new concealed carry law beats the pants off that of NY NJ MD MA CT CA who have had CC for many years but only have the law to use it to deny people that are not politically well connected or have $$$$$$$$$

the new Ill CCL is a least obtainable with 2 days training and some expense from what I hear

Black powder , my powder supplier is actually in NW ILL I can drive there buy 50# and drive home ILL res many not possess more than 5# at any time 5# is kind of pathetic if you have a can or 2 of 2fg 2 cans of 3fg and one of 4fg to prime your flinter well it just isn't allot figure around 70 rounds a can

it may include all reloading powder and not just black which if your any kind of reloader at all

oh and to buy any of this stuff or even hold a gun at the store you need a Firearms Ownership Card FOC but compared to several of the states that have very long waits and or license to purchase pistol before you can go pick one out it's about the same only the FOC is I think a one time thing.

Janis R · #16 02/21/15, 06:15 PM

I was born and raised in IL, lived in FL for 20 years, I absolutely hated FL.
Lived in TN for 8 years and was finally able to get back to IL (NE) , I hated it, high cost of living, high taxes, dirty, crowded, some not so nice people, they even tax SS checks. Our insurance for health, home and cars was much more expensive, food was outrageous. I won't even get into the gun laws. I have family in IL but not even 2 daughters and brother could keep me there. We looked to buy in WI but south WI is all full of people from IL.
We came back to TN and have never been happier. Good luck

JLMissouri · #17 02/21/15, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SueMc

I know it's all about perception but I'd rather live anywhere else other than FL. My daughter and SIL live South of Tampa and are working on getting out. There are too many people especially when the "snow birds" move down during the winter. There's nothing more annoying than some rude northeasterners trying to run over you at a grocery store. There's a huge sense of entitlement among some of them because "they spend money" in FL. My DD and SIL also have a legit worry about being able to evacuate from FL in case of an emergency. We used to go to FL every year when I was a kid and I loved FL then but it's just not the same place other than the ranch areas in Central FL or maybe parts of the panhandle.
Personally I'd rather live back in the hills in Middle or Eastern TN than anywhere else but I'm tied to IL by job, property and grandchildren!

I agree on many points, there is a reason I live in Missouri and not Florida. Florida is a great place to visit, but is too crowded for my taste. Florida is better when it comes to most laws on the books though. I also agree on TN, if I had to leave Missouri it would be TN or OK.

redgate · #18 02/21/15, 09:43 PM

Having been born and raised military, married to military, and just retired to central IL, I can honestly say that yes, all the above is correct. HOWEVER, of all the places I have ever lived in almost every region of this great country, there is no "perfect." Every state has its downsides, and you have to determine what your priorities are. We happen to love it here in IL. It is so easy to farm, because things actually grow (unlike other places we've lived!). You can reduce your contamination risks by looking for land with large woodland buffers, high up on bluffs, and upstream from larger farms. There are also many cattle farms which won't cause the air drifts of the cropland. I know it's possible, because we did it. I admit the taxes are high here, but we've lived in CA, and EVERYTHING is more expensive there, so we don't complain too much. There are also tax breaks available to help out like the homesteader exemption and different programs to encourage native habitats in posters and woodlands. Hope that helps!

glenn amolenaar · #19 02/22/15, 05:46 AM

The last place to live would be Illinois. The state is going broke. Why look at the way Politics are handled. Most of our family have left Illinois and most of the remainders are looking elsewhere.

AmericanStand · #20 02/22/15, 04:35 PM

Let see in a small town in Il you can buy a livable house on a city block for $10,000 ,a nice home with garage for $40,000.
Taxes would run in the $500 area.

I live on over 100 acres with taxes of less than $500 ,Country prices are about the same as the town quotes just add in the prices of land. $2500 a acre for rough brush country up to $10,000 for that 250 bushel a acre black dirt.

Very few rules or regulations enforced out in the country.