2010 Illinois Best Performing Cities (Chicago, Peoria: home, schools, university)

[Ratdude]

Originally Posted by ben44

Probably the most surprising there is that Kankakee County is ranked #59 out of 179 small markets, not great, but also not as dismal as some make it out to be.

Though I have to question any study that places Chicago lower than Peoria, normally taken with a grain of salt at that point.

As far as jobs go, I would be willing to bet that Peoria is performing better than Chicago, while unemployment is at 9.3-9.6 in the Peoria area, we don't have dozens or hundreds of thousands of people competing for the jobs that are available as they do in the Chicago area.

I spent three months looking for a job in Chicago Metro and gave up and sent resumes down to organizations in Peoria and Bloomington and had two job offers in less than a week.

Though Peoria is not a perfect place to live, it sure is a much better life than living in the Chicago area. Less expensive and less traffic.

Many of you may also disagree with this, but if Chicago does not change some of its political policies, taxes, etc...it is going to eventually become another Detroit-like city.

Companies are starting to watch every dime and the cost of doing business in the Chicago market is crazy!

[linicx]

Probability and common sense. You're trying to compare a toy train to the Orient Express. The argument won't hold water.

Cities are like the ebb and fall of the ocean; the growth and decline is cyclic. Economics are not based solely on a population shift. The current economy has forced cities and companies to make unpopular decisions and to use their resources wisely.

So where is the link to your source?

Originally Posted by ben44

What does size have to do with growth rate?

My source is the US Census website and a calculator.

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by Ratdude

As far as jobs go, I would be willing to bet that Peoria is performing better than Chicago, while unemployment is at 9.3-9.6 in the Peoria area, we don't have dozens or hundreds of thousands of people competing for the jobs that are available as they do in the Chicago area.

I spent three months looking for a job in Chicago Metro and gave up and sent resumes down to organizations in Peoria and Bloomington and had two job offers in less than a week.

Though Peoria is not a perfect place to live, it sure is a much better life than living in the Chicago area. Less expensive and less traffic.

Many of you may also disagree with this, but if Chicago does not change some of its political policies, taxes, etc...it is going to eventually become another Detroit-like city.

Companies are starting to watch every dime and the cost of doing business in the Chicago market is crazy!

It is not just Chicago, it is the whole state that is in trouble. I agree with most of what you say, but the rest of the state is going to go down with Chicago if Chicago falls.

[linicx]

Ben, yes I did.

Q: What does size have to do with growth rate?

A: Probability and common sense. Given a choice the average person is more likely to move to a metropolitan area rather than move to a farming area. This is true whether the state is New York or Minnesota or Texas or California or Illinois.

What is the URL of your source?

[linicx]

Although Peoria MSA statistically outranks Chicago MD, it seems illogical, at least to me, that Peoria could outperfom Chicago - after all we are talking about Goliath and an ankle biter. However, there are very few things that are impossible.

No town is idyllic. The Garden of Eden is a restaurant in Oklahoma. I would not say that Peoria offers a better way of life than Chicago. I would say it offers a different lifestyle.

They only reason, I think, that Chicago would ever go into a Detroit style tailspin is if it would lose the BoT, ORD and its Ports. I can't perceive how that can happen in my lifetime or in the lifetime of my youngest great-grandchild. Bad things can happen, but I believe Chicago can withstand most assaults and recover. What i do think is the face of Chicago will change in the future - just as it did in the past.

Originally Posted by Ratdude

As far as jobs go, I would be willing to bet that Peoria is performing better than Chicago, while unemployment is at 9.3-9.6 in the Peoria area, we don't have dozens or hundreds of thousands of people competing for the jobs that are available as they do in the Chicago area.

I spent three months looking for a job in Chicago Metro and gave up and sent resumes down to organizations in Peoria and Bloomington and had two job offers in less than a week.

Though Peoria is not a perfect place to live, it sure is a much better life than living in the Chicago area. Less expensive and less traffic.

Many of you may also disagree with this, but if Chicago does not change some of its political policies, taxes, etc...it is going to eventually become another Detroit-like city.

Companies are starting to watch every dime and the cost of doing business in the Chicago market is crazy!

[Stankonia]

Decatur is on a top 5 list for something that isn't negative? Whoa

[S_the_OWL]

Originally Posted by Stankonia

Decatur is on a top 5 list for something that isn't negative? Whoa

I was wondering if that can be true? I always heard Decatur, Danville, and Kankakee were in a tailspin.

[linicx]

The link to the stastics are in the first post.

Originally Posted by S_the_OWL

I was wondering if that can be true? I always heard Decatur, Danville, and Kankakee were in a tailspin.

[j_cat]

Originally Posted by tonythetuna

Or where the freebies are.

Since "freebies" (what remains of them after the Clinton years) are typically administered at the federal level, why would this draw people to Chicago? Food stamps, etc. are just as available to rural residents. I think you're just clinging to a certain stereotype for whatever reason.

[linicx]

Not all "reebies" are federally funded - which is a topic for the P&OC forums.

Please debate a subject. Do not attack a member for their opinion as it is a TOS Violation that will add infraction points to your profile.

Originally Posted by j_cat

Since "freebies" (what remains of them after the Clinton years) are typically administered at the federal level, why would this draw people to Chicago? Food stamps, etc. are just as available to rural residents. I think you're just clinging to a certain stereotype for whatever reason.