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Moving to Illinois?

Illinois, located almost smack dab in the heart of America, has long been thought of as the perfect example of American life. From its all-American feel to its Midwestern appeal, Illinois has been the home to three U.S. presidents and is currently the fifth most populated state in the U.S.

With a major metropolitan area in Chicago and its prime location on Lake Michigan, Chicago has been one of the key U.S. trade cities since its inception in 1818 and is often referred to as the “Second City” with New York being the first. But in addition to Chicago, Illinois is home to small towns and suburbs alike that are simultaneously both culturally diverse and rich in Americana.

If you’re moving to Illinois, there are a lot of things you’re going to need to know. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place.

Things to Know When Moving to Illinois

Illinois Climate

• Illinois has a climate that varies substantially, depending on your location in the state. Because the northern portion of the state (near Wisconsin) and the southern portion (near Kentucky and Missouri) are separated by over 400 miles, the climate tends to shift. Also, the location of Illinois in the central part of the country tends to see many differentiating weather patterns and colliding fronts that create many thunderstorms and tornadoes. Winters in Illinois tend to be cold, ranging from around 27 to 41 degrees in December and January. However, summers tend to be hot and humid and temperatures can often reach into the low-to-mid-90s. In Chicago, the wind coming off of Lake Michigan often swirls to create blinding snowstorms in the winter and extremely low wind chills. (Helpful Link: Illinois Weather)

Moving Specifics

• Registering your Car: Upon your arrival in Illinois after moving to the state permanently, you have a total of 30 days to update your registration and have your vehicle registered in the state before you may be required to pay a penalty. (Helpful Link: Illinois DMV)

• Obtaining an Illinois Driver’s License: An Illinois Driver’s License can be obtained at any Illinois DMV location. The state requires new Illinois residents to update their license from their previous state to an Illinois driver’s license within 90 days of moving. If you fail to update your driver’s license within this 90-day window, you may have to pay a fine. Also, there is a $10 fee to update your driver’s license.

• Real Estate: The average listing price for homes in Illinois is $274,360, while the median sales price is just over $230,000. The Illinois Association of Realtors is the official real estate resource for the state of Illinois and their member page can be found here: (http://www.illinoisrealtor.org/local)

• Moving and Storage: If you are looking for a moving company or storage facility to help you with anything, you should check to make sure the company is registered with the United States Department of Transportation or with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. (Helpful Link: Illinois State Moving Resource Page)

Schools

• The Illinois state educational system is governed by the P-20 Council, composed of government official, business executives, university administrators and community leaders. The public school system in Illinois is typically composed of three different tiers in the primary education level. These tiers, the elementary school tier, middle school or junior high tier and the high school tier, are each composed of schools belonging to individual districts and separated often by township, county or region. When it comes to secondary education on the collegiate level, there are also 11 “National Universities” located within the state, as well as over 20 other fully accredited four-year universities and colleges. Some of the more notable and prestigious collegiate institutions in Illinois include the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the Illinois Institute of Technology and Loyola University Chicago. (Helpful Link: Illinois Schools)

Crime Rankings

As of 2011, Illinois was ranked 39th out of 50 states in violent crime, with a total of less than 40 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the state.

Economy of Illinois

Industries

The state of Illinois has thrived for many years as one of the major industrial centers of America and the state’s economy when it comes to industry is based largely on manufacturing. A large majority of the manufacturing that takes place in Illinois is chemical manufacturing, which accounts for $18.3 billion of the state’s manufacturing revenue. Food manufacturing, machinery manufacturing, transportation equipment and computer and electronic products also make up a substantial portion of the Illinois industrial economy.

Employment Statistics

As of early 2012, the state of Illinois had an unemployment rate of 9.1 percent. In the state of Illinois, the civilian labor force is comprised of over 6.5 million citizens, 5.9 million of which are currently gainfully employed and a little less than 600,000 who are unemployed. (Helpful Link: Illinois Department of Labor)

Average Income

The median household income in the state of Illinois is $46,590, while the average per capita income for the state is $23,104.

Important Locations in Illinois

• State Capital: Springfield

• Largest Cities:
  1. Chicago
  2. Peoria
  3. Springfield
  4. Aurora
  5. Rockford

• Major landmarks and attractions: Wrigley Field, Chicago; Millennium Park, Chicago; Buckingham Fountain, Chicago; Soldier Field, Chicago; Navy Pier, Chicago; Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Springfield (Helpful Link: Top Tourist Attractions in Illinois)

• National Parks:
  1. Lincoln Home National Historic Site

• State park System: Illinois has close to 100 different state parks separated into five regions throughout the state. The vast diversity of landscapes that can be found throughout the state of Illinois, thanks to its proximity to the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, provides many opportunities to appreciate the natural wonders of Illinois by hiking, fishing, biking and hunting. (Helpful Link: Illinois Department of Natural Resources)

• Major Airports:
  1. Chicago O’Hare International Airport
  2. Chicago Midway International Airport
  3. Gary-Chicago International Airport
  4. Moline-Quad City International Airport
  5. Springfield Capital Airport

Helpful Links

• Illinois Homebuyers Resource Page
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport
• Illinois Department of Transportation
• Illinois Department of Education
• Illinois Traffic Updates and Traffic Information