Illinois Isn't What You Think It Is Anymore
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- Опубліковано 1 лют 2025
- Is Illinois ALL crummy? Maybe not.
So the last time we talked about Illinois, we learned a lot of stuff. Like we learned that some of the best places to live in Illinois are going to be in many Chicago suburbs. These areas include places on the north and west side of Chicago - Clarendon Hills, Long Grove, Buffalo Grove, Naperville and Evanston. This is where it’s very safe, and the schools are great, but it’s really expensive. We also learned that the worst places you can live in Illinois are going to be in south Chicago, west Chicago, East St. Louis, Rockford, Peoria and Decatur.
We figured out that the top part of the state is basically Wisconsin, the southern part of the state is basically Kentucky and the middle majority of the state is all smaller cities and corn fields which are really pretty in the summer, but drab and dreary for 6 months a year.
We also talked about how high taxes are in Illinois and talked about the population loss here - lots of people are fleeing Illinois for surrounding states like Wisconsin and Indiana or as far away as Colorado, Texas and Florida. Illinois is only one of a few states that lost people over the last decade. We’ll talk more about that later.
But there’s a lot more to Illinois than that. We didn’t talk about some Illinois history, interesting facts and the issues that people in Illinois face today.
So that’s what we’re gonna do in this video. Kind of pick up where we left off in a more lighthearted way. We’re going to look at all of that stuff and even meet some people who LIVE in Illinois who are gonna tell us what its like in their state and where you could move if you relocate here. It’s time for Cornerhouse Tales: Illinois. The Cornhole State
#illinois #moving
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This channel is about America!
The best video on this topic!
Here are all of my Illinois videos: ua-cam.com/play/PLq-_cmf3H6yq2-zYXWw_avkmE-kFby9Sr.html
Mappy plushie
If you can't leave or want to stay in Illinois for some reason, at bare minimum, STAY OUT OF COOK COUNTY!
Just try staying out of Cook and see how far that gets you.
You are proud of the Picasso, the Art Institute, the trails and Groves of Cook County Forest Preserve, a Bears fan because it's Illinois football team.
Home of first grass lawn, skyscraper, first TV remote control and HD TV, Zenith. Motorola, Webber grill.
'Crook' county as I remember.
@@scottconcertman3423 Cook County may have a lot going for it, but to be honest, I can be in St. Louis in a half hour while it's a five hour drive one way for me to go to Chicago from where I live in So ILL. I'm literally as close to Memphis as I am to Chicago.
Name somewhere in Illinois worth visiting outside cook county . Il wait.
It's crook county cause of the politicians that profit from the conditions on the South and West side.
I was a teacher for over 32 years in Chicago. I've taught all grades, races and ethnic groups and came up with this: by my estimates well over 95% of ALL children want to learn, about a good 90%+ of all parents are very cooperative and want their kids to learn. Most teachers really want to teach. The problem is that MOST ADMINISTRATORS ARE POWER TRIPPING AND DON'T GIVE A RAT'S A** ABOUT THEIR SCHOOLS!!! Rot on the top IS the number one problem in schools, government, business, religion and even in science aka funding for bogus research projects. Correct those crippling issues and change will happen; apathy is another issue.
I taught for a while - not as long as you - in rural IL districts. My takeaway was, about 10% of the kids WANT to learn, 30% dont (or cant - and public school is impotent to do anything about those, but wont admit it) and 60% are indifferent but will learn enough simply through "osmosis".
@@RexolaMazolasounds realistic
The teachers unions are responsible for most of the problems you listed. And it's perfect for crooked Cook County.
Illinois is Metro Chicago and the rest of the state, according to several friends who still live there. Imagine most of the state is still rural. 3 states lost population annually from 2010 to 2020; West Virginia, Mississippi and.... Illinois. Honestly. Many residents do wish Chicago was it's own state as it effectively already is. Great video.
Yeah I lived in Chicago Metro area all my life and down from DeKalb and Plainfield is all cornfields
@@avaaaa09 I want to Visit Metro Chicago. Any Suggestions?
@@avaaaa09 it would be cool to hang out in Chicago I think. I love Milwaukee and Gary.
Just one more poorly run, bankrupt city... Chicago
If it wasn't for Chicago and its metropolis area. Our state would be screwed. They are extremely different to people down here in the southern part of the state but they're the economy.
When I was born and raised there we called it “The land of Lincoln”. Lived in Palatine. It was absolutely beautiful, huge willows and oak trees everywhere. Ponds, creeks, wild fruit trees and grape vines. Huge patches of raspberries my grandfather planted cuz he loved them. My childhood was wild and amazing.
I'd have to guess you are older like myself. I grew up on the South Side of Chicago in the 50's and early 60's. It was like a "Leave it to Beaver" lifestyle. We left in 1967 just in time before it all imploded and turned to crap. If you like to live in a congested lifestyle then I guess that's what you get. Not for me thanks. I need some room to breath.
Me to, I like it hear.
@@leerothman7570 I was in an Uber and my driver was near retirement I think. He said that he was Englewood, during the time when it was lily white and safe. Boy I can only imagine.
@@leerothman7570 Maybe in in the city. The suburbs are still like that. I grew up in Naperville and loved it.
Denise Stinnett
Mine too. I’m from Arlington Heights, it was suburbia perfection. Still very nice, but I can’t afford it now lol.
I’m from the Chicago suburbs and have lived in the Naperville/ Oswego area for the past 5 years. Working in real estate, I think anyone who can afford it will enjoy it. There is a lot to do and downtown Chicago is only a 45 minute drive. It’s beautiful in the spring, fall and summer, but harsh in the winter. If you’re lower middle class or poor, it will be very difficult to get ahead as the price of living is very high.
Oh yeah Chicago is wonderful how about we make it a district and see how good it does without the rest of the state being taxed to death to keep propping it up.
Christine
I'm originally from Oswego. I now live in Southern Illinois the congested traffic up there is ridiculous!!
You obvious have never traveled south of I80 and seen how the real Illinoisans live. Chicago is a cesspool of crime and corruption. Chicago needs to be eliminated from the state.
Chicago is absolute crap. How about you come to southern Illinois
@@stevenfoster5217 Naperville/Oswego area isn't Chicago. It's the suburbs and it's awesome. I don't want to live with farmers.
Moved to Illinois a few years ago from Kansas and my property taxes are six times what I was paying for an equivalent priced house. When the opportunity arises some day I plan on moving back.
Don't walk, run out of the bankrupt state that keeps on taking more for fat public pensions
Dude, I'm sorry. That sounds high, it also depends where you live, plus we all know that Illinois doesn't have personal property tax on things like cars, campers, motorcycles, boats, jet skis, etc..
@@hollyweirdland940 Also, because labor unions are powerful, Illinois doesn't tax retirement income. Downstate property taxes are much lower.
@@timothykeith1367 labor unions represent only 7% of all American workers. You only are in a union if you teach in Chicago, are a cop, or are a pipefitter/commercial plumber in Illinois. The idea that average jobs or entire industries have anything to do with unions is a political talking point, not real.
@@timothykeith1367 workers in unions make more money than their non-union counterparts. That means more tax revenue for local areas. I have never understood the negative talk from people about unions, unless you are filthy rich and have some politicians in your back pocket.
Northwest suburbs like Crystal Lake, Cary, Algonquin are great and less expensive than Naperville. Basically Mchenry County. And you get way more land.
Right. There's plenty of nice suburbs in Illinois. The taxes thing is accurate tho.
@@gustavogomez7331 True but not as bad as Cook County. I’m in Texas now and it is NOT cheaper. By the time you include HOA fees (which are nearly impossible to avoid here) higher prices for goods and housing, it all averages out.
@@RitaLady Interesting, so the HOA fees are higher in Texas ?
Do you like Texas better in other ways? Or do you miss Illinois?
@@gustavogomez7331 Sorry this is a little long. I don’t know that HOA are higher but you really have to want to live in a subdivision in the Midwest since they’re not the standard. You can easily move to a safe, affordable old neighborhood where HOA is not a thing. It’s the opposite here. You will typically pay a premium to live on a quiet tree lined street w/out HOA. Where we live, HOA fees are $400 a month and utilities are not included. I’ve seen fees as high as $800 a month for a 2bd condo only a few blocks from the ghetto. And housing rates are astronomical comparatively, even in the hood. One last thing, our car insurance more than doubled the minute we got here. No exaggeration. Do I miss Illinois? Yes but not all the crazy policies. Although, there is something to be said for taxes if it’s going towards sanitation, parks, etc. There is a more conservative approach to spending for those things here. So, after 3 years we’ve decided to move back to one of the neighboring states. Not sure which one yet but not Illinois. Its a very different culture here. Almost opposite of the Midwest in many ways. I guess I’m just a Midwesterner through and through. If someone was thinking of moving to Texas, I would recommend north of Dallas.
I always wonder why they are even considered suburbs of Chicago. They are so far and different.
I grew up in IL (actually lived in the house pictured at 2:38 for a year) moved to TN for 8 years and back to IL as a young adult but down state. I love where we live and I'm thankful to be able to raise my family here but I hate the political mess this state is in. The politicians tend to forget downstate exists. We are not all Chicago.
IL is and ugly boring state🤣😂
@@kuya_mike7813 So you pretty much think Illinois is just cornfields and Chicago. You forget about Shawnee national forest and all the other forests and parks we have.
How'd they get a video of your house my guy
northeast illinois is so beautiful so many forest garden flowers chicago is so pretty in the summer
sunflower garden cheerry blossom and many tulips even in downtown chicago
Great stuff Nick. Anyone who's wanting to learn about Illinois, or perhaps move to Illinois should watch this video!
That's right Chris Harden
CHRIS! Great videos. You've seen more of Illinois than most of us.
MY STATE ISNT WHAT THIS MAN THINKS IT IS. SO WHY DOWN MY STATE WHEN MY CITY FEEDS MOST OF AMERICAN AND AROUND THE WORLD? YEAH UR STATE ISNT EVEN PERFECT EITHER
@@NickJohnson do u know a lot about Springfield? I'm currently in Chicago and I don't like it here man it's very violent on the streets I walk a lot and they have hit and run accidents all the time. Sad how aggressive people are on the highway
@@NickJohnson I'm aware that Springfield is rough with crime however I believe it will be cheaper for me. I have 1 job right now with Uber
Love my home state of Illinois. But our state has a lot of issues that has not been fixed for decades. There is so much that could be done to get us back on track.
Pay the taxes then use us for your videos
Don't move to Illinois unless you're rich and can afford the taxes. If not you'll regret it. You've been warned.
Scotty Pippin, former of the Chicago Bulls, just sold his house for a loss. Michael Jorden, also a former Bulls player Michael Jordan, has been trying to sell his Chicago mansion for EIGHT years, but just can't find anyone who wants to buy it.
The property taxes are whats really bad and housing isn't appreciating as well as other states with similar taxes. I think its honestly better to rent here
@@Materva-hv6sz We're at the top of a housing bubble around the nation. Last thing anyone should be thinking about is appreciation.
If 80k moved out, then 62k moved back because the official census figures only show a loss of 18k residents and many Chicago suburbs have actually grown in population.
Illegals
I live in Southern Illinois and I LOVE it here. Outstanding education in the outer suburbs of St. Louis, great accessibility from the farm to the city, and the perks of suburb life, too. Taxes aren’t bad, work opportunities everywhere, and great recreation less than an a couple hours drive. It’s too bad you only focused on Chicago and Central Illinois. Southern Illinois is wonderful.
Interesting never been down there 🤔
Wouldn't want to know what you consider bad .... the taxes are terrible
I can relate as I am from Western Upstate NY near Rochester. The city itself gets a bad rap but the area as a whole is affordable (much much more than NYC and Downstate) and a great place, you just have to avoid the dangerous pockets of Rochester cause they are real bad.
Melissa, you are correct. There is a lot of good things about living in Illinois, but the Chicago and suburbs ruin it. I am in a far southeast suburb of Chicago. Even way out here some of the communities are terrible and you don’t want to even drive through them at night. But as one drives further south into the less urban areas of Illinois the state is awesome. I stay away from St. Louis proper just as I stay away from Chicago. It is sad how very large cities develop a mentality so different from the rest of the state. In Illinois, the population of Chicago and the near suburbs completely overrides the wishes of the rest of the state. I must say that I disagree about the taxes. The taxes in the state of Illinois are very high. But every state gets their money somehow. If they aren’t taxing your home, they are taxing your car, and/or income, so I guess somehow it all evens out. Except Illinois taxes are just higher than most other states. And they heavily tax gasoline for your car. Our gas prices are minimally 20 cents per gallon higher than neighboring Indiana’s gas prices. Sometimes they are as much as 55 cents higher than Indiana’s gas prices.
Taxes aren’t bad? They are horrible, specifically for small businesses
This young woman is a great representative of Chicago and Illinois. Be a tourist in your own community. I love her attitude. She has a lot of understanding of what affects our state.
Lived all my life in Illinois and now I'm one of those people seriously thinking about leaving the state (when I retire). I admit I would feel a little guilty about leaving. This state has been good for my income and career. I have always lived in some of those nice suburbs that you mention and have enjoyed the lifestyle.
but things change some times you have to move
I have lived in IL all my life. Born in Broadwell then my parents moved to Hinckley, then Lisle
then Naperville for years. Now live in Aurora. The taxes when my Mom died went up to
10,000 a year. Had to sell her home in Plainfield. My brother lives in Petersburg and it's a
great community. I have lots of relatives in Athens and Petersburg. If I don't die here I
know I will probably be going with one of my sons to Wisconsin. I found your channel
yesterday and it's so interesting. I love the gal from Chicago she was a really good
advocate for Chicago. I remember in the 70's I used to gather up my kids and the
neighbor and her kids and drive into Chicago for the day. I was never scared at all. Now
I wouldn't go there for anything. You have a new sub from me. Love your channel.🤗
Anything about Southern Illinois? Jefferson County and down? Shawnee Forest is the states forgotten treasure. The wineries, camping, solitude, and beauty.
My kids live in Jefferson county and LOVE IT!
Saline county here!
I love it here
Used to live in union County. Yes wine trails and Shawnee forest.
Madison Co checking in. I love it here. He barely glossed over a HUGE section of the state. That’s too bad because there is so much great stuff to offer here!
I live in Johnson County. The bike trails are nice too.
Nice follow up. I really liked the woman you interviewed, love enthusiasm. And the guy you interviewed said something at the end that is 100% the reason I moved to California from Illinois (I thought after grad school I’d move back, to either Illinois or California but never did). It wasn’t that I had just finished shoveling off my parents’ roof, it was for personal growth. Of course, this was before wildfires became a season in California.
@@mstenacious274 I hear ya. I too looked at North Carolina, where Nick lives. In addition to the h and b I've heard about the ssssss snakes. Yikes. But that's a thing in California, too. The thing that gets me in California is you don't even have to live near the wildfires to be affected, by the brownouts and the smoke that drifts for hundreds of miles - even in the NYC area, where I live now, we had two hazy days ... caused, they said, by the wildfires in California. Like Lou Reed once said, I guess that I don't know, I guess that I just don't know. Good luck.
From what I’ve gathered Peoria hates Chicago. With mostly conservative counties the state is still democrat. We feel unrepresented down state. We feel like our beliefs aren’t heard and only Chicago’s opinion matters. Chicago needs to be its own state.
Same with the NYC tristate metro
Decatur hates chicago
I’ve got to add a positive comment. I’m a transplant from Pennsylvania Dutch Country. O’Fallon, IL has been my home for the past 27 years. It’s a beautiful beautiful city with warm & friendly people. The schools are second to none. Down town St. Louis is only a 20 minute drive away. A wonderful quality of life exists here😊
PA is way cooler than Illinois. I'm going to Shippensburg next week...
I lived in Albany, IL for 9 years. Nice small town with high property taxes. Move 35min away to Iowa to a nicer much bigger home on 5 acres and cut our property taxes in half.
My sister has lived in Washington, IL for over 30 years. Nice town fairly close to Peoria. I didn’t know Peoria sucks (as Nick put it). I must not see the bad parts of town when I’m there.
O'Fallon is super nice town. Prob best place in Metro East.
Thank you. I worked for O'fallon Parks and absolutely the schools are first rate. I hate the prejudices he is trying to make it sounds all the schools are terrible and is absolutely not true.
I moved to Chicago from a small town in Texas back in the 90s and I can see a moral and civil decline going on here, there's a drug and alcohol epidemic, increasing crime rates, everything is getting expensive, taxes and the cost of living are also increasing to an a gut wrenching rate, I feel like the situation here is creating a lot of anger in people causing them to leave or become unfriendly, abuse substances or develop toxic personalities, there's good and bad people everywhere but the good people here tend to keep to themselves and are timid, but who can blame them when they're living in the "New Detroit."
Moved out of Illinois 6 years ago and it was the best decision of my life. It is such a depressing state....
Where did you go?
Of your two guests the young lady from Chicago was very knowledgeable. I would have her on your show again. The guy was constantly saying 'you know' like it was a mantra.
It filler words :( I’ll work on it.
@@217Problems pssst..... 🤫..... you did great. It wasn't a contest. You spoke about what you know & i applaud your efforts 👏 👏👏
@@217Problems I'm a UA-camr myself though new to the 'game.' I'm hiring tech pros to help develop my podcast to be among the best. Good luck with your future videos. I'm a perfectionist...sorry.
@@217Problems thanks.
Thank you!! Drove me nuts, listening to "You know."
My family immigrated from Lithuania to the smack dab middle of IL, and were miners and worked at the stockyards until the Cherry 🍒 mine disaster… and too many coworkers dying at the stockyards- and then they all got out of that business and started their own grocery store! ❤
I lived in Illinois for fifty years and moved South because of high taxes and the horrible weather. You are right about most things except the fact that you only get three months of nice weather. The weather varies from 102 degrees in the summer to -30 degrees in the winter. Also, this state is SO corrupt and they tax everything except the air you breathe but I’m sure that’s next!
@Just Doit I agree...born and raised in Illinois--moved out years ago when I got married to an "out-of-stater". Yes--Illinois CAN get to 102--but that is rare, and very short-lived. A brief heat wave. Here in Texas---it's that high and hotter--ALL SUMMER LONG. EVERY SINGLE DAY. We are still upper 90's here in September! So I don't want to hear anyone complain about "Illinois heat". The cold winters, yes. But the rest of the year the weather is pretty decent. True about the crime as well. MANY areas of Illinois are quiet and peaceful. I still have some family there--they are quite satisfied with their lives in Illinois.
@@margietucker1719 I’m from Mississippi. Give me a southern Illinois winter anyway over a south Mississippi summer. Hot weather in summer in Illinois is pretty much isolated to July and august and it’s not consistently hot. One heatwave can be counted on.
Chicago area can go for years without a 100 degree day. This summer's highest temperatures in Central IL were low to mid 90's with most days in eighties. There's only a few subzero days a year, with temperatures occasionally getting to -10 or lower. -20 or a little colder has occurred, but it's very uncommon. I don't think it's ever been -30. If it has, that's extremely rare. And the severe cold only lasts a day or two usually. Average January highs in Chicago are high 20's and average lows are in teens. Those averages obviously are higher in Central and Southern part of state. And temperatures higher than average are not uncommon. It does get messy with the snow at times, however.
I've actually found the most maddening thing about Chicago(really midwest) weather
is how long chilly weather continues into the spring. 40 feels awfully cold in April an early May, especially if it follows a big warm up.
@@stephenkammerling9479 I grew up Hammond where we only wore t-shirts, shorts and sneakers once the temperature hit 50 degrees since it felt warm and balmy.
Lived in Chi-Town, way back when. Loved the place. Even went to college somewhere out in the cornfields. Loved it! Sounds like it's changed.
I’m proud of you Nick! You have the sista on and you are starting to diversify perspectives!!! Thats how you do it! Never stop brother!
ive had diversity on for awhile now you should watch more!
Thanks for the awesome video looking at every aspect of the state! As a local, you represented everything well and I learned a lot of trivia I didn't know like that agriculture makes up such a tiny percent of our economy despite the land use.
As a resident of Illinois, if anyone is thinking of moving here I would recommend settling down in Wisconsin.
Or at least the north west corner of Illinois.
@glennso47 the whole state is shity
Born and raised in Aurora Illinois and being in the Midwest especially Illinois we get the best of 4 seasons and from playing ball professionally overseas and lived in Spain and Toronto... I’m proud to say I’m from Illinois
Cool! What sport did you play?
@@NickJohnson basketball
Height?
I’m from eastern Iowa, about 15min drive from Illinois. John Deere is a great place to work, there are locations all over the world, and their world headquarters is a prominent fixture in the Quad Cities (Moline).
The best agricultural company in America at the moment, the stock market is very good, stable and rising, I've bought stock.
Hopefully it will grow rapidly to recover the economy.
Late Aunt & Uncle lived in Le Claire Iowa in 1970s . Wonderful town along the Mississppi, Birthplace of Buffalo Bill
@@longstreet2740 Yes, it’s a really nice town about 25min from my place. It is also home of the American Pickers, popular History Channel TV show. 🌽🚜🙂
Grew up in Orion (10 min from Moline on the illinois side). I love the quad cities. I live in peoria now but I would really like to move back to that area.
Wow gets me a lil excited about John Deere lol
I love the videos, it is great watching them without travelling thousands and thousands of miles also saving thousands and thousands of dollars. I am from Europe, and live in the Swiss mountain area near Lucerne. I stumbled across these fantastic videos which I am very grateful and thankful. I am not planning or have any desire to move to the USA, but these videos are an eye openers that's for sure!!!!!!
Can't beat taking a virtual vacation around the World for free!
My dad’s job took us to Illinois (from Ohio) when I was a child and although I have some great memories there and miss my old friends, there are way more negatives than positives with the state. I left as soon as I could after high school and looking back, it was the best decision I’ve ever made. Since then, I’ve lived in South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, and now Texas, and Illinois is definitely at the bottom of that list in most categories. I’d even put Ohio ahead of it, and that’s saying something. Chicago is cool and all and was worth the trip maybe once a year but the politics have ruined the state, taxes are absurd, there’s not much culture, nothing special about the food, not much scenery, and the accents, the nasally accents. Oh yeah, and the weather is horrible, June-August is about all the decent weather you get. It’s no wonder it’s one of the few states with a decreasing population. It’s not all bad, the rural areas and farmland are nice and the people are too, really hard-working people but there are many other states that have much more to offer with much lower cost of living and better job opportunities.
Born here. I couldn’t have said it better.
And I third that. All of my 50 years were in the Chicago burbs. This state really has zero redeeming qualities. Hoping to retire and move out of here.
No way, I've been all over the US, and Chicagoland has the best food by far!
The woman you interviewed was great. I learned more from her about Illinois than anyone I have met that lived there.
I live in Naperville and find it quite affordable, but then again I recently moved here from the NY metro area.
I live in rural McLean County. I dream of winning the lottery and moving to Naperville lol
I used to live in Naperville back in the early 2000's I'm from NYC as well. I guess everything seems cheaper when you move away from New York City! I enjoyed Naperville Beautiful place.
That girl you interviewed is ON POINT! … on both sides, positives and negatives… a well-rounded perspective.. AND this video is on point! Again, great video!!! Appreciate the accuracy in reporting. From the northwest burbs originally.
I’m in Illinois, but will definitely move when im giving a chance. Extremely high cost for everything basically feeding the rich. Bogus companies is out of control in Illinois. From loan places to car dealerships, all fees not included. Decades of job loss
Well Done Nick, Another Great Video. I Was In "Hoffman Estates" Illinois On Business In January Of 1997. I Was At Sears Holdings Corporate Complex. The Weather Was Kinda Lousy.
Casinos... unless your city is called "Las Vegas" or "Macau", they're a great way to make your local poor population even poorer.
Tennessee, specifically Nashville, has a LOT of Illinois transplants. A good chunk of my HS graduating class (from the 90’s) are fans of the Cubs and Bears, and I would even venture to say transplanted former Blackhawks fans are the basis of original Predators fans.
huh interesting!
Been trying to get my wife to move to Tennessee for awhile now!! Maybe when we retire. I'm afraid that she will never want to leave Illinois.🤣🤣
That explains the sudden rivalry with the press there for a couple of years
Im an Illinois expat from Kankakee County. I don't live in Nashville persay but my town is just 45min from Nash
A good number of Chicagoland natives fled to DFW and other parts of Texas from the late 70's to the 90's.
Don't know what it is but you have a great voice!! You Get to the point immediately. Love your videos. Love from Kentucky...
Props to the lady for using the forbidden term "single mothers". She handled it well.
Illinois would be a great place for Hollywood to film movies about dystopian futures or post apocalyptic ruins considering most of the towns look like abandoned and dilapidated hellscapes
The reality is there are a ton of dilapidated towns all across the USA. You can find abandoned rural towns all over the place; not just Illinois.
Speaking of, "Escape From New York" was actually filmed in St. Louis...
👋Hi Nick! What great interviews! The sweet young lady has a wonderful attitude about life. Wouldn't you love her for a neighbor? Take care!💜💜
Erica is a really cool lady Lori :) Like you!
@@NickJohnson Awww now.... you are too sweet. Thank you tho... 😘💜
I drove through Cairo a little over a month ago. Kind of terrifying to see a place that’s been so completely abandoned
i need to see it ethan.
“ sightseeing sally” has done a great review of Cairo....
Cairo is sad. It used to be a boom town. There is a new port coming in (fingers crossed) so hopefully it will revitalize the area. That said, will even higher property taxes come with it? And more corruption? I have lived here my entire life and it has never changed for the better.
@@deanabennett8461 Cairo is in its nicest state now....enjoy it before a load of residents come and spoil it..todays days will become Cairo's good old days...it just needs a few successful businesses...to maintain the quo...
@@NickJohnson Cairo is a must-see, not as a tourist attraction certainly, but as a warning showing just how badly things can go wrong for a community. Cairo's decline can only be described as tragic.
A+ video!
Really paints a picture of what it is like to live in Illinois!
Grew up in Naperville and loved it. Had a great childhood and it was beautiful. Can't complain and will always love it.
Naperville is super nice
@@tiffanyclark-grove1989 Great place to raise a family. My Dad moved us here from Philly back in the 80's.
I lived in Naperville 1968-1971. It was hoppin
Well yeah- you’re wealthy lol
@@ducksarefat No I'm not. You're the sterotype who assumes I did.
Godfrey, IL , where I live, is perfect. It's super close to St. Louis but is safe. It feels like a real community. Plus, rent for a house is only $900. St. Louis prices with an Illinois feel.
Nice
This lady nailed it. The good and bad. Heck talk to mayor Lightfoot and be a spokesperson for Chicago!! You go girl!!
Erica would be an AWESOME mayor.
@@NickJohnson She would.
! She's got a good demeanor. Good personality. I'd vote for her!!😂🤣😆
@@junkyard-p1s better than old beetle juice! 😆
Yes, unless your a public union employee making $100k/yr plus, Illinois is a crummy state. The property and sales taxes keep going up. On peoples property taxes, places like Cook county list the debt your responsible for twice a year on your property taxes. The Cook County area property taxes are already 3x higher than a state like Michigan. In the recent property assessment (seen in the 2nd half of 2022) Cook County is raising many properties 50 to 60% higher. Grocery tax is 2.25%, whereas Michigan doesn't charge a tax on groceries. Go out to a restaurant and Cook county and it's municipalities add 12% to your meal. Buy a car, or items at WalMart and the combined sales tax is 10%. Meanwhile there are loads of retired public employees making well over $100k/yr pensions that automatically get a 3% yearly raise. Extracting the financial blood out of anyone daring to live there. The public union run government just keeps taking more from it's citizens. Stay away from this state because as property taxes go up, property values will go down. The Chicago area is slowly forsaking property values (Has not increased to the same degree as other states), for increased property taxes. How many people want to pay $12,000/yr property taxes on a 2,000 sq ft house worth $450,000? And then get a 30% bump in property taxes in 3 years?
will it ever end?
You don't like it you are free to leave.
@@NickJohnson I guess you don't like IL so what state do you live in.
You are so right. I'm a mother grandmother bron and grew up on the Northside of Chicago was expenses in the 80/90s by 2000 property taxes rent gotten out of control. I went back to college to finish my degrees in 2000 graduation in 07 when the economy was bad found job in n local county government I was thankful a diversity of friends family was happy for me until I the taxpayers found out the county agency I worked for was the worse been the 2nd largest county agency in the u.s from Los Angeles county. There was and still Cook County employees who is still working within Cook County government for 30/40+ years who refused to retire and those are the employees who the unions who take steal the working people money. I had long time co-worker stated to me they been working in the same agency for 25 years and have 10 years before he/she retire when those lazy country employees do retire they receive the same good benefits high salary medical insurance as if they're going to work everyday while the rest of the taxpayers who's paying for cook county employees luxury benefits are struggling to make ends meet in 2008/09 that corrupt mayor Chicago, governor of Illinois taxes any and everything including bottle water a billion dollars was stolen from Chicago public schools, the Chicago O'Hare airport project that was given to mayor of Chicago by Clinton to extend the runway that never happened the corruption go on and on and 99% Chicago politicians never go to jail because they are corrupt democrats
we love chicagoland even after taxes we make more than all the surrounding states n its a lot affordable housing than east and west coast
As someone who lives In the northwest suburbs, the NW suburbs basically is more like the edge of the rural area but it’s very safe. It’s away from Chicago but still a Chicago metro suburbs but it’s away from chicagos crime and stuff.
The whole country has become very expensive
@Nוck Johnsón□ right away!
Indeed!
That woman was so sweet and positive. It seemed he was disappointed to hear someone speak from the bright side of things. He pushed her to speak negatively to satisfy a desire. Why that desire I'm not sure.
I really like what Erica said about being a tourist in your own city (in my case, area). She’s spot on. I’ve had family visit from Texas twice in the last two years. I live in Illinois, but close to St. Louis. Last year we did the aquarium. I’ve driven by that hundreds of times and never brought my kids before they visited. Last week they were here and we went to a touristy small town on the Mississippi that I’ve lived next to nearly my whole life. We did things there that have been available for like the past 5 years, but I hadn’t brought my own kids to do. I actually realized how beautiful the Mississippi River is because we took the ferry back and forth, which is something I’d never done.
When you do a video like this on Florida, I know the perfect candidate for you! My dad is born & raised in Fort Lauderdale now living outside of Tampa..so his views will be a little different from a northern/midwestern transplant.
Have him email me!
@@NickJohnson of course! We both enjoy your channel
You 💘 look 👀 nice...single by any chance?
I lived in Aurora IL for 36 years. I loved it. I saw it go from gang infested to a cool place to live. A year ago we moved to Kenosha WI
In other words, Illinois has lost its Middle Class. Sounds familiar.
Nice going, Democrats.
this is Bill Clinton's legacy.
@@seichorn4079
For starters... It's 50 years of inflation and a worthless Republican Party.
@@hg2. democrats & Chicago have run Illinois into the ground the last 50 years.
@@seichorn4079
Really?
Have we seen that movie before?
The middle class is made up of people making between $42,000 and $126,000. This is about 50% of the population.
I remember one time I was driving through Illinois listening to the radio. Man, thems was good times :)
Illinois full of writers poets artists and musicians rich with culture.
I grew up there about 30mins. from Wisconsin. It was a great place to grow up in, 60's,70's I got out in the mid 80's. It was really starting to suck. I don't see myself going back anytime soon. There's so much more to the country I still want to see. Yup, Chicago, small towns, farms and cornfields.....yup.....been there, done that.
Obviously you have never been to the Shawnee National Forest. Also the little Grand Canyon in the same general area. Also while real estate taxes are high admittedly, Southern Illinois is not very expensive and except for East St Louis area. The towns outside there are not bad at all. O'fallon, Lebanon, Highland and many of smaller towns in Southern Illinois. Not everything in Illinois is Chicago
There are a few good areas to live in Illinois. Those would be Bloomington, Marion, Effingham, Morton, and a few small towns around those areas. The Chicago metro is way too expensive and the property taxes are outrageous. If a person is willing to deal with those negatives then Yorkville and Frankfort are my top picks for the Chicago metro.
I live in Bloomington-Normal. Its a nice community
I live in rural Peoria and from EP/Morton border...
Robinson is also nice
That eastern section of Illinois has quite a few nice towns. The problem is a lack of jobs in most cases. From Paris to Fairfield isn't bad all in all.
Southern Illinois has been overlooked all of my life, but over the past thirty plus years land prices have risen and the 21 century has caught up here.. I grew up in Kankakee county 32 miles or so south of downtown shitcagoland, I left at seventeen to join the navy, living most of my adult life in Houston Tx for the work. Now retired To a place called Cedar deep in the Shawnee National Forest close to a dormant volcano called Hicks Dome, Jackson County Illinios... But I am wiser and smarter than most .. Doesn't get much better anywhere in this nation...400+ miles from the Michigan lake...200 from Nashville...
Unfortunately, I live in Illinois.. I can't WAIT to get out of this hell hole
Living in Illinois varies wildly on the type of person you are and where you live. I would never live north of I-80, but I live in Monticello Illinois where property taxes are slightly lower and quality of life is much better imo. I would love to move to a state like KY, but family and other factors keep me in IL. The politics of the state are garbage, but at least outside of Chicago most of the government is red so there is at least some balance going on.
I live north of 80 and I like it. I would go down to Monticello for my summer camps when I was in middle school, very pretty grounds
I've lived north of I-80 and south of I-80. For me, it's Rural, and civilization pretty much ends south of I-80
That's crazy I'm from Monticello too. Well technically Cisco, but in the country.
Champaign
I grew up in a tiny town in Illinois and we had a big thing there called Forgottonia. It was basically trying to get a separate state for the middle of Illinois that’s forgotten. And we also had a WW2 camp called Camp Ellis.
I know exactly where that is just moved from there
Macomb
I moved back to IL. from Georgia in 2010. I lived in GA for 15 years and watched it grow and become over rated, now it's overpriced! I am originally from Illinois; the W. Side of Chicago, then we moved to the W. Suburb of Woodridge/Downers Grove. It is unfortunate that you are sharing mostly one side of the state, there are wealthy, middle class, and working class areas that are all interesting. I am glad that you interviewed people from here, the young lady that is from Chicago; she grew up similar to us. Thank you for this video!
Very cool, great idea for a video. Its so true. I've lived most of my life here. Live and grew up in small town IL, but have worked most of my adult life in Chicago and the burbs.
So I get a taste of all of IL nearly every day. Move to IL, not sure I can advise it. If you've lived here your life, your accustomed to the high cost of living. I would totally disagree with one of the interviews. I travel for work and have coworkers across the country. I can tell you for a fact, that out of coworkers of mine, PA, OH, MI, NC, TX, TN, IN, CO, and other then CA. our cost of living is the highest. More taxes, the highest property tax, income tax, sales tax. We have figured this out. On average I pay nearly $10k more a year then my coworkers per year to live here. and that's not some of the additional taxes and state fee I pay additionally every year. I just cant say that that IL offers me $10k more of a quality of life over anywhere else. I think a beach would have to be in that to seem worth it. Only family and friends keep me here.
Good jobs in the rural areas, not so good. its what's called living. Really the numbers speak for themselves, this is a dying state. the Democrat's have destroyed this state. and sure, the truth is, if the republicans would have had an iron fist hold for the last 30+ years here, it very well could be in the same condition. this is the problem when one group has total control for too long. IL is a great case study for "Not How to Do It". The small town living and jobs is scrapping by. take a look at many rural incomes, up in my area, median home income is $38K. that is household. Not sure you can call that good.
I live in Chicago past 20 years only reason there is poverty is because nobody wants to work even @ $15 per hour minimum wage
Even at 15 per hour? You make it sound like that is a living wage...
@@markrhuett That's a good wage for someone starting off with no skills.
@@markrhuett I dont think your supposed to have a "living" wage for minimum wage. People get complacent for that minimum and dont wanna do better than that
My uncle was an Illinois State Trooper. He always said that if Illinois would just give Chicago to Indiana all of the state's problems would be solved.
Indiana does not want Chicago, we would build a wall on the state line if we could.
@@dans3294 wisconsin to lol
@Elayne Lamely Hey now, let's not get carried away here. The only reason I stay here is because I DON'T want to live in Missouri...lol
No one wants Chicago lol
Chicago pays for the rest of the state. This is why the rest can live like bums!
I don't know who this 217 Problems guy is but EVERYONE in the 217 knows that John Deere is based in Moline. CAT "was" based in Peoria, ADM & Staley's were based in Decatur, State Farm in Bloomington and Rural King (Farm Retailer) is based in Mattoon (The Bagel Capital of the World)
I’m from just outside the quad cities, and I think it is a nicer part of Illinois that isn’t mentioned a lot it has a nice culture and you can escape the really bad parts of Illinois (gas prices) by going to Iowa, and the Mississippi River is pretty dang cool
Nice 👍
Beautiful how casinos and online gambling are the answers for bleeding budget deficits...basically saying we don't care if our residents develop gambling addictions that plunge their lives into hell, as long as the casinos can help us bridge our budget gaps
Indeed
Can’t help giggling when Nick says Obama was **supposedly** born in Hawaii 🤣
Lol 😂 Obama now claims he was born in Kenya
I love this State.. We are very lucky to have Chicago, and on the other hand.. we have the Lake, Fox River and countless places to live work and relax. You can find negative any where Sure I hate the taxes, yes the shootings right now., and we need to work on CPS but that is also a product of not just environment but a culture that has to change from with in
As an Illinois Department of Corrections County Jail inspector. I have the privilege of visiting all 102 County jails run by a Sheriff's Department.
And Illinois can be a beautiful state. And it can be the pits.
I'm born and raised in Chicago. So let me tell you. Some places I've been to I swear I've seen a banjo.
I explore these little towns in Central/Southern Illinois. Some are poor. Some have money. The Amish town is interesting. I like Illinois. It's my home
Moved to east-central Illinois this year and it's lovely. There is nothing to do here (the closest Denny's closes at 3 in the afternoon) but people are nice, life is slow and if you're into that, there's a lot of cheap land here for you.
After watching those I was so confused I lived in Illinois my whole life and I’ve never had any problems like a great here
It's not great
One of the best video Great information 👍👌👏Great work keep up thanks for your video
As someone who lived there for several years I can honestly and fairly tell anyone who’s thinking about moving there DONT DO IT!! The entire state is dominated by one city and its criminal politicians. Taxes suck, extreme leftist politics suck, it’s freezing cold in the winter and hot and horribly humid in the summer.
Currently sitting in my IL home thinking of how to move. But hey.. at least they overturned the law about hanging things from your rearview mirror as of 2024. Maybe that's their plan to attrack new residents and stop everyone from leaving.
I grew up in Arlington Heights/Mt. Prospect and they were/are extremely nice places to live. I was very fortunate to live there. However I moved to FL 10 years ago because there’s no way I could ever afford to live there. My parents sold their house in Arlington 6 years ago and moved to FL as well, and the year before they left they paid over $14,000 for property taxes. Taxes on my house in FL are less than $800, and I live in one of the nicest and safest areas in Tampa Bay. Illinois will always be my home, and one day I hope to move back, but it will not be to Cook County. It’s sad because if things keep going the way they are, Chicago is going to end up like Detroit.
Are you a low in democRAT
@joedirte716
I’m as conservative as you can get, if that’s what you’re asking. Most people in the burbs are. Chicago is the liberal hellhole.
Born and raised Illinoisian.
Born in the city (Chicago) and raised in the far western suburbs.
My mom started the St. Charles Visitors and Convention Association, as well as the President of the Northern Illinois Tourism Council and the Kane County Tourism Committee.
She was also the editor-in-chief of Foxway magazine as well as the Fox Valley Sampler magazine.
The town I grew up in was a medium-sized, ex-urban town where it was partly rural and partly suburban. We were about an hour due west of downtown Chicago and I loved growing up there. We were just an hour's drive or train ride from the city, where my dad commuted for most of my younger childhood.
My cousins moved up to Des Plaines (Pronounced Dez-Plains) when I was young so we were sort of close enough to visit for every holiday, birthday and family event.
I loved growing up in Illinois so much that when I divorced I moved myself and my toddler son back to my hometown. He attended all the same schools and even had a few of the same teachers that I did. But as he grew into being a teen I noticed the cost of living in Illinois steadily increasing. By the time he graduated from High School, my ex and I ended up moving out of Illinois altogether. Sadly, when my ex and I broke up, I found out pretty quickly that moving back to Illinois wasn't going to be possible. I simply couldn't afford it.
Many years later, I'm now in Wisconsin with all its terrible politics, worse policies, and massive homelessness in Milwaukee.
I did love the years I had in Illinois and miss that state but there's no way I'd move back there now.
It's just too expensive, the taxes are out of control, and they're not benefiting Illinois residents at all!
Massively HARD PASS.
Arlington Heights is NOWHERE NEAR NAPERVILLE!
Naperville is a Far Western Suburb but it's south of Interstate I88. Arlington Heights is a North Western Suburb as it's north of I90.
This is the most entertaining way possible of presenting how a state is 😂
Born and raised in Decatur. In the 70’s factories started leaving which devastated the town. In the late 80’s there was a sign “Last one out, turn off the lights!” because many people were leaving. Then the gangs from Chicago decided to invade and its been downhill since. I left in 1983.
From Southern Illinois. I haven't been up north so I can speak for there. However in the middle and south, it is poverty-stricken. However, the cost of living is really good. Not to mention how beautiful the prairie and forest and country is. Only issue I've ever had was eastern St Louis.
You right!
My parents home is across the street from where the Lincoln/Douglas debate happened. It was a very nice place to grow up!😊
You can’t discuss IL history without discussing Galena. It was a lead mining boom town. It was the major port north of St Louis. In the early 1800’s Galena was larger than Chicago. That changed when the steamboats faded away and the railroads took over. When the Civil War broke out 9 Union Generals came from Galena….Including General Grant. Two Galena Generals were at Appomattox Court House for the surrender of General Lee. Grant returned to Galena as a hero and lived in Galena when elected President. The town has been kept very historic and includes Victorian Homes. Many Chicago residents weekend in Galena.
What a cool place!
I grew up in central Illinois closer to St. Louis. Left in 1990 and have lived in Dallas for almost 30 years. Plan on going back to Illinois when we retire mostly for family and childhood friends.
I grew up near Chicago. I remember when Chicago tore down the projects in several parts of the south and west sides. The schools in the southern suburbs had to change the teaching methods so that the city kids could catch up. The rich white people moved away and took all of their taxes with them. The schools, villages/cities, and neighborhoods are still behind.
Chicago once had an excellent school system. During WW2 instructors from the Chicago Vocational Schools taught the Navy trainees how to repair aircraft engines and the rest of the aircraft at shops set up at Navy Pier. I grew up in Hammond where he had kids moving in from Chicago in the early 70's that were at least one semester ahead of us in school. Made us look like dummies!
why should you stay get car jacked get robed pay very high taxes for nothing
I’m from the south Chicagoland and I love it. It’s all about preferences.
I live in a rural community, about 15 miles outside of Rockford. Our town is great, and the schools are awesome. However, the schools are only good in this town because of a nuclear plant in the county which brings in millions in tax revenue for the small town.
Side note: if I wasn't a disabled vet, and therefore tax exempt, I'd never be able to afford our property and house.
Byron!
@@glennso47 go Tigers
Illinois is what I call a boomerang place, I have left and moved to different states 3times but I always end up back in my hometown of Casey, IL. Fyi Casey has a huge collection of very large things, we have close to 24 Guinness world records for largest items (rocking chair, mailbox, golf tee, pitchfork, swizzle spoon, etc) and now the tourist traffic is a huge annoyance for the residents now.
I want to check it out now 😂
Can you do a video taking about areas near Peoria and Bloomington? Completely skipped that area, they have great suburbs, that was not brought up
I’m stuck in Illinois, about 30 miles from Chicago. Prop taxes are $16,000 per year. I can’t afford to retire 71 years old). It’s nuts. No way would I ever live in Chicago.
Both of my parents grew up here. I met my first love here. As an adult I've done alot of business here. I know this state enough to tell you it's a dump. Even the rural areas (people in Shorewood hate Joliet, the people in Champaign hate Daville). My sister is dumb enough to live in Plainville (leveled by a tornado). Illinois stinks and everybody in this dump hates the place while insisting that they love it. Weird Science and Ferris Bueller were long ago.
*Danville sorry
I think its the opposite. Everyone here is always talking about how much they hate this state when deep down they have an affection for it
@@Materva-hv6sz That's fair.
That's just bunk. I love it here.
No we hate the corruption and politics we love the land and our people.
Great job NICK showing everyone what you see and talking to the right people.. I used to live in Chicago in the Logan Square area, then I decided about 7 years ago ago to get out of the Danger Zone. I moved to a small and very unknown for some people to an unincorporated and more affordable town called Prairie View, I am kinda boxed in between Buffalo Grove, Riverwoods, Vernon Hills and Wheeling, Is a little better, property taxes a little better, but also lately the criminal element is usually coming from the City and is getting to the point that also considering completely leaving the state for good and not looking back.
I grew up in Illinois, and I’m sorry to say I would never move back there. It’s a horrible place to live, unless you move to some southern areas of the state. The northwest is nice, but you might as well move further north to Wisconsin and escape the taxes and pockets of bad neighborhoods. The good neighborhoods are pockmarked by bad areas in between. So many people that live there have been so accustomed to how bad it is that they don’t realize how miserable it is.
This guy is the best. You tell it like it is. I live in St Charles that's about 15 minutes from Naperville. It's a semi middle to rich area. Chicago is so corrupt with mayor Lightfoot. The taxes are outrageous in chicago not so much in Kane County. ARLINGTON HEIGHTS is beautiful and a great area to start a family . That's where I was born. The south and west are bad. Past western Ave on the west are bad. Past bronzeville on the south side is bad.
Fairly accurate description of IL. I've lived in different parts of the state. The Chicago suburbs, the Quad Cities, and the south western part close to Edwardsville. Definitely a different environment in all three areas. I don't mind the small town life, but I would miss being far away from all the Asian food Chicago and surrounding area have to offer. I want to give the Quad City area my recommendation. Moline and Rock Island on the IL side. There are a lot of good people and businesses are up in coming in the area.
Yes. I may need to visit Quad cities
Thank you, as a quad city resident
I lived in Moline for 9 years (now down in Austin, Texas) and I really did love it and also give it my vote!
My family moved from Washington Illinois to SW Florida in 2003 when I was 9. Been here for 21 years, moved out from my parents, bought my own property and house and love that it doesn't snow or freeze for months here. In reality, our REAL 🥶 winter last about a week or two. And sure we have our typical "Florida man" and it does get hot and we're not perfect like every other state. But I am glad my parents picked somewhere warm.
40 years living in Illinois 🙋♀️ Got all the trivia questions correct 🏆