Hey, never been in the SLaM before but figured this would be the place to go with questions like this.

 

I'm moving to Peoria for school this year (August) and I've only ever been there once. No idea what areas/neighborhoods I should look into. I will be crazy busy (med school) so I probably won't spend a TON of time at home, and will hopefully be living with my wife if she can get a hardship transfer from her work. We're ~30 years old with modest-to-moderate income.

 

Any advice on where to look would be extremely awesome!

Hey, never been in the SLaM before but figured this would be the place to go with questions like this.

 

I'm moving to Peoria for school this year (August) and I've only ever been there once. No idea what areas/neighborhoods I should look into. I will be crazy busy (med school) so I probably won't spend a TON of time at home, and will hopefully be living with my wife if she can get a hardship transfer from her work. We're ~30 years old with modest-to-moderate income.

 

Any advice on where to look would be extremely awesome!

Where will you be going to school? I assume you're looking to rent? I can tell you where is good and bad.

Where will you be going to school? I assume you're looking to rent? I can tell you where is good and bad.

U of I College of Med. It's down by Methodist and St. Francis. And, yup! Looking to rent.

Edited February 25, 201313 yr by ScottyDo

I've got some experience here as well. I lived in Peoria for 5 years, and my in-laws live near there. In fact, "in my day," I knew some of the med students that lived there. Many of them lived in one the of high rises on Main Street. It didn't seem like the safest place, but it was cheap.

 

IMO, renting in Peoria was more expensive than it should have been for the size of the city. In general, the north and northwest sides of Peoria area pretty good. Also, if you want to live a little further out, Morton has a lot of young professionals and families. If you want a couple of specific recommendations, PM me.

Just make sure you hit up the burger barge. Fantastic burgers served in a s*** hole of a bar.

It's worth a shot to petition the COM to see if you can switch to the Chicago site also

Try a smaller village around Peoria. Bartonville or anything west of West Peoria is generally cheap and quiet. I live about 15 minutes away from downtown and I'm in a quiet area with affordable housing. If you go north/northwest you're getting into Kickapoo and Dunlap areas, which are prime living areas so rental properties can get expensive. Same thing with Morton anymore...great living area, but can get expensive, plus it's a little longer drive, but it is off the interstate. Stay away from downtown and anything south of War Memorial Dr. Or east of Kickapoo creek rd.

I know some great places to hang out(let me know when you're in town and I'll hang out with ya if you need a guide). Let me know what you're into and can afford I can give you a heads up on what's good. Make people think you were born n raised here like me.

Hey guys, thanks for the advice! I've expanded my search westward, as recommended. Good stuff!