Is Urbana a safe place to live? (Peoria, Springfield: apartments, lease)

[nurse916]

I will be attending Nursing school in Danville, IL and will be commuting. I found apartment in North East side Urbana, called Town and Country Apartments. I will be new the state and Im wondering the safety of Northeast side of Urbana? I would greatly appreciate any advice? Thanks so much!!

[linicx]

Here are some things you might want to consider. IL is an AG State. It is also a prairie state. Three of the larger communities (Urbana-Champaign, Springfield and Bloomington-Normal, are squarely in the Illinois Prairie, surrounded by fields of soybeans, corn and cattle. The only way to escape the flat prairie is to travel NW to the Illinois River. Peoria is the largest community and the oldest on the Illinois River. It is surrounded forested hills and high bluffs. The downside is Peoria is 90 miles NE of Champaign. I would caution you that Illinois does have wicked, wild, storms that very often form tornadoes. Tornadoes do form in fields and do travel SW to NE but not always.

I like Urbana. I hope you enjoy your time there.

[pianist1972]

To answer the question more specifically, there are some areas of Urbana that are very nice, esp. the ones closer to the university. However, there are some apt. complexes near the Philo Road shopping area that are best avoided. I would visit the areas in question and check crime reports. I think the complex in question is off Cunningham, near 1-74, and last I knew it was ok. Very convenient for trips to Danville, for sure.

[Aerio]

Originally Posted by nurse916

I will be attending Nursing school in Danville, IL and will be commuting. I found apartment in North East side Urbana, called Town and Country Apartments. I will be new the state and Im wondering the safety of Northeast side of Urbana? I would greatly appreciate any advice? Thanks so much!!

I know some people that have lived or live currently in that area. One was a single woman who lived on the first floor at T&C (c. 2009-2010), and I cannot say she voiced any serious complaints about safety. Another friend lives in the next-door complex and again, I cannot say she voiced any concerns. Myself, I think the area is safe, I've been there before and I cannot say I ever felt endangered (as a male). Surrounding the complex are residential areas, a large forested park, and various businesses, and I never thought of any of these places as suspicious. From a cursory look at the reviews, it seems that the complaints are against the complex itself (management, residents) rather than surrounding area/safety.

Another place that is in Urbana but close to the highway is Capstone Quarters and One North/One South. I don't have personal experience there, but from having visited friends who live in One North, it seemed OK. I live near those apartments and I don't worry for my safety. Personally, I would stay at T&C under your circumstances rather than Capstone/One North/One South.

If I *had* to worry about crime, I would worry about my apartment being broken into at night, my car being broken into, muggings when walking alone at night, or being hassled by hoodlums. Again, this is me trying to think of something criminal that I could possibly encounter, but never have. I hope this helps, I've lived here for six years for school and am planning to move away, so these are just my experiences. Good luck in your searches.

[nurse916]

Thank you for your advice! Im visiting Urbana this coming week!! Im from Michigan, and am not familiar with the area. I chose Town and Country because it is near the interstate and would be easier to commute to Danville. Based from T&C website, the pictures of the complex seem nice.

[pianist1972]

Not sure what your budget is, but for several years in the 90s I lived in Stonegate Village (look at Royse and Brinkmeyer), which is on West Springfield, west of Mattis. It's in Champaign, but would be very close to 1-57 and then to I-74, though it would add a few minutes to your commute. Close to services, groceries, and drugstores, and a safe part of town. I lived in the "red barn" building and particularly liked my spacious apt. in there, with gas fireplace. I liked the development because there were a lot of working professionals there.

[nurse916]

Thank you for the help. But I am going to IL to sign a lease. Im hoping T&C are nice and within a safe area. Im hoping for the best. If any other suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.

[madpaddy]

Its an area where I might have a slightly elevated concern about property crime, but wouldn't feel "unsafe."

[ShampooBanana]

Town & Country is not bad. The management there is decent and there seem to be a lot of grad students living there along with "regular" people. It's not in the center of town, but yes it does have good highway access to getting to shopping near the mall or North Prospect is easy. Within walking distance are two very good restaurants, Hickory River Smokehouse and El Toro mexican. Definitely try them out if you do end up moving there.

BTW, nothing in Champaign-Urbana is much more than a 15 minute drive max, so on your free time explore what both cities have to offer (and the U of I campus), which is a lot more than most people think. This is coming from someone who lived there for 13 years.

[PurpleLove08]

Town & Country Apartments are also serviced by the bus system, CUMTD which is great.

I'm living in Urbana for grad school and really like it here.
I came from Arkansas where you pretty much HAVE to have a car in order to have any sort of social life.

I really like the bus system and I drive my car A LOT less. I pretty much drive it to do my big grocery shopping. Once cooler temps arrive, I'll have no problem doing all my grocery shopping by bus.

I wish you the best in your program.