Relocating to the Quad Cities area (Chicago, Peoria: real estate, apartment complexes, renting)

[SavannahMo]

I have recently accepted a job in the Quad Cities area. I will be moving there with my 12 year old son and I wanted some information about the area. My main concern is placing my son in the best school district and raising him in a safe diverse community. I have a home to sell in Savannah, so renting is my only option at this time. Any suggestions on nice apartment complexes that fit the criteria I listed above. Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[caverunner17]

Best schools are in Bettendorf -- both Pleasant Valley and Bettendorf HS are good. Moline HS is a good second.

If looking at private schools, you have Alleman (Rock Island) and Assumption (Davenport). Alleman is a block from Augustana College and is in a safe area of Rock Island. Mostly anything south of 7th Ave and east of 30th street is safe in Rock Island.


If living in Davenport, stay toward the East side. West side is generally rough.

Where are you working? (city). Commute isn't that big of a deal. I went 8 miles from Augustana (Rock Island) to East Moline when I was working in about 15 minutes. 20 at most.

[CincyIowan]

Bettendorf by far has the best school district in the QCA, Moline isn't far behind. I pretty much agree with caverunner on this. However, I would also look into the Eldridge area!

[Dport7674]

Originally Posted by caverunner17

If living in Davenport, stay toward the East side. West side is generally rough.

It's hard to say where the rough area is. It's more in the middle. South of Locust.

The east side would include the area a couple blocks west of the east village, which is pretty rough, but not dangerous.

The west side would include the neighborhood around West High school which is fine.

[caverunner17]

Originally Posted by Dport7674

It's hard to say where the rough area is. It's more in the middle. South of Locust.

The east side would include the area a couple blocks west of the east village, which is pretty rough, but not dangerous.

The west side would include the neighborhood around West High school which is fine.

True.

I'd say its pretty safe to say that if you live "up" on the hill in any of the cities you are generally fine. If there are rough spots up on the hill, most seem to happen in smaller patches.

If I move back to the QC, I'd try to find a place near Duck Creek bike path.

Man, I miss the QC

[SavannahMo]

Thank you for all who responded to my question. It is a huge help as I am unfamiliar with the area. I will be working in Milan, IL, so looking at the map of the area, any of the locations mentioned should be fine. I am curious, is diversity/racism a serious issue in any of the places mentioned. Thanks

[linicx]

IL is an Ag state; so is Iowa. Other than Chicagoland you'll find more corn and John Deere tractors than people. Most farming communities in Illinois are overwhelmingly White and don't engage in overt racism, but neither are they terribly racially diverse. I cannot speak for Iowa; I don't live there. Generally speaking you find more diversity and in-yer-face racism in larger cites such as Rock Island and Davenport. I was robbed once in Rock Island; I never returned.

Peoria, IL has been integrated for many generations so racism and segregation is not so much of an issue as it is elsewhere. This is not to say it does not, or cannot exist, just that I've never been witness to overt acts or ugly racist remarks.

School is a different issue. Kids are cruel to each other. However, in small schools racism is less likely to NOT be an issue that is ignored. Most Illinois schools give kids K-8 a good basic education. Illinois real estate taxes support schools. Almost every Illinois public high schools is on the State's Watch List because a percentage of the student body cannot meet or exceed the federal and state mandated pass/fall Math and Science requirements. Illinois private schools have no such mandates. You may decide to look at non-public schools when your children are older.

[CincyIowan]

its safe to say Peoria and Rock Island (Quad Cities) are both run down post industrial cities that have little going for it..

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by CincyIowan

its safe to say Peoria and Rock Island (Quad Cities) are both run down post industrial cities that have little going for it..

What a profound and useful (NOT)post. When is the last time you were in either city? How often have you been to either city? I travel to each 3-4 times a year on business for the last 8+ years. There are some small sections that are a bit rundown or rough around the edges. But many more middle class and up neighborhoods that are nice. Rock Island has a downtown that still needs more tenants but is doing pretty good; same for Peoria.

[linicx]

Peoria has been reinventing itself since the first indian attack in the 1600s, and after the first car was invented, after the liquor, after WWII, after the Korean Conflict and before CAT bought the first Mainframe. I typed code for it. This was before the first mall was built when Peoria developers were just beginning to look at NW Peoria for potential business and residential expansion.

The Big 500, Merry-go-Round, and sketchy buildings were removed from Adams to Perry, The past 30-years has been one of positive change that began with continuing the city-wide cleanup effort that extended from Fulton to the shared Bartonville boundary, from Seventh to Washington and included Water. The current fiscal ear is ending with two new museums that open in 10 days, and possibly the completed skywalk. When finished the river front will be the centerpiece of walkable downtown Peoria. The Port of Peoria was moved farther south into the county where improvements continue.