Bloomington-Normal vs. Champaign-Urbana? (Chicago, Peoria, Campus: high schools, university, calculation)

[Fredericia]

I'm thinking about relocating from a big city outside the midwest, and am considering these two Illinois towns. The draws are cost of living, the perks/buzz of a university town, and a slower pace of life. I lived in Champaign as a student in the 1990s; I have never lived in BN but had friends at ISU.

I'm politically conservative but mainly keep my political views to myself. I am self-employed and work remotely and can relocate freely without a new job. I would like to go back to school and retrain in a different field in a few years, but this would involve taking classes first at the community college level (either Heartland or Parkland).

I know about the high property taxes in Illinois and have factored that in to my calculations.

Can anyone tell me why they think one town might be better than the other?

Can anyone give feedback on the quality of Parkland CC or Heartland CC?

I would like to be able to make a few friends (eventually) in this new location - how would the chances of this happening in these towns compare to a big city like Chicago or St. Louis? I liked Champaign a lot when I lived there. I did feel people there were friendlier and more sincere then they were in the big city in which I grew up, but that was a long time ago. There are both friendly and unfriendly people everywhere, but I would really like to hear some honest views on the social aspects of living in these two specific towns as a non-native.

Thanks!

[Bitey]

If you're looking for the perks/buzz of a university town that would appeal to someone old enough to have been in college in the 90s, Chambana is the better choice. The "grown-up" elements of university culture flow into the surrounding town in Chambana more than they do in BN which is more of a student-y college town.

[madpaddy]

Neither is a bad choice, but I agree with Bitey that Champaign/Urbana has a different vibe. More "University Town" than "College Town," if that makes any sense. To start with, UIUC is more than twice the size if ISU. And the makeup of those student populations is quite different. While the undergrad classes at both schools predominantly come from Illinois high schools, there are probably more international students attending UIUC than out-of-state students attending ISU. Furthermore, there are ~ 4 times as many on-campus graduate students at UIUC at ISU. The result is that Champaign just has a more diverse, slightly more sophisticated feel to me. And if you haven't been here since the 90's, you'll likely be pleasantly surprised by the renaissance that downtown Champaign has experienced. It has become a hub of social activity for "adults" while the Green Street "Campustown" strip remains the social epicenter for undergraduate students.

I don't think there are any meaningful differences in quality between Parkland and Heartland.

[Fredericia]

Thank you madpaddy and Bitey for these thoughtful answers, Champaign it is then.

[Dajustin98]

You might want to consider Peoria, Illinois too. Just east of Bloomington and I’d consider it similar or better that Bloomington. Peoria isn’t a Champaign when it comes to the youthful vibe and all the places you can visit in downtown but it does have a nightlife if you know where to go and is also very diverse. Also we have wonderful trail systems here and your situated around the beautiful bluff and river. If you don’t like being in the river there is a couple streams and tons of lakes you can visit and even kayak! If your into disc golfing we have that too!

[aga412]

Originally Posted by Dajustin98

You might want to consider Peoria, Illinois too. Just east of Bloomington and I’d consider it similar or better that Bloomington. Peoria isn’t a Champaign when it comes to the youthful vibe and all the places you can visit in downtown but it does have a nightlife if you know where to go and is also very diverse. Also we have wonderful trail systems here and your situated around the beautiful bluff and river. If you don’t like being in the river there is a couple streams and tons of lakes you can visit and even kayak! If your into disc golfing we have that too!

Don't do Peoria.