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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.

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.

Obtaining a 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

State Capital: Springfield

Largest Cities: Chicago, Peoria, Springfield, Aurora, Rockford

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.

National Parks

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.

Major Airports

Chicago O’Hare International Airport
Chicago Midway International Airport
Gary-Chicago International Airport
Moline-Quad City International Airport
Springfield Capital Airport