24+ Pros And Cons Of Living In Illinois (Explained)

Illinois is a state in the USA located somewhat centrally. It is in the eastern north-central region of America. Illinois has been a forward-thinking state since the early days. The 13th amendment of the American Constitution was first accepted and implemented by Illinois. Thereby, it was the first state to abolish slavery. The forward-thinking attitude persists.

People here are liberal and are not daunted by new ideas, instead, they embrace it. We take a closer look at the pros and cons of living in Illinois.

Benefits of Living in Illinois	Drawbacks of Living in Illinois
Job Prospects	Traffic Jams.
Culture	Harsh Winters
The Food	Rising Crime Rates.
The Sport	Ongoing Exodus
Interesting Places and Activities	Expensive Housing
The Music
The Architecture

Table of Contents

Advantages of Living in Illinois:

Job Prospect.

If you end up in Illinois, there is a greater chance for you to land a job than not. There are several booming industries in the state that are continuously looking to hire. According to reports, the unemployment rate of the state has halved from 11.7% in 2009 to 4.8 in 2017 and decreasing annually.

Keeping with its forward-thinking attitude, clean energy is the booming business in this state with several job opportunities in the sector.

Culture.

Illinois has a vibrant culture. They are friendly, hardworking and partying hard sort of a bunch. Kind to new faces, you cannot possibly get lost here because the locals shall always come to your aid.

They are also passionate about the food they eat and the sport they play, both of which deserve separate mentioning.

The Food.

The Chicago deep-dish pizza is one of the staples of the people of Illinois. Famed for the authenticity and taste it’s one for your own taste buds to try.

Illinois is very particular about its hotdog as well. No ketchup on top of your sausage is the way of life in Illinois. There are several food festivals that take place across the year. It is symbolic of the love people of Illinois share for food.

The Sport.

The city is home to some of the most popular sports teams. People here are most passionate about sports. The Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks, and Chicago Fire are a few of the famed sports teams. No matter what sports interests you, you’ll find it here in the city.

Interesting Places and Activities.

Illinois packs a mean lineup of places you could possibly visit when you stay in the state. There are museums with the largest T-Rex fossil ever found and there is Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum that one can visit to get a glimpse into the groundbreaking life of the American president.

Moving from history to adventure, Starved Rock State Park in the city of Lowell is a sight to behold especially when the leaves have turned. It has a 13-mile trail and is located along the Illinois River.

The Music.

Lollapalooza is a music fest that takes place every year in Chicago during the late summers. It started in 1991 and is now featuring all genres of music from punk rock, through metal all the way up to electronic music.

A three-day-long festival for a musical feast. The music scene in Illinois extends beyond music festivals. There are several lounges and restored theatres that cater all kinds of music all year round.

The Architecture.

The architecture of cities like Chicago is truly unique. Even for the ones who don’t pay too much attention, the architecture is bound to capture their attention.

A mix of skyscrapers, modern architecture and traditional architecture in the right proportion, makes the cities a vibrant architectural hub. It is symbolic of the various cultures that have settled in cities in Illinois.

Disadvantages of living in Illinois:

Traffic Jams.

Illinois has always been a forwarded city. With liberal ideas and a modern way of thinking, it has attracted a large influx of people. In Chicago alone, there are an estimated 9 million people.

Such influx of people is bound to put pressure on the infrastructure. The result can be seen in terrible traffic jams. Traffic jams are a frequent occurrence in the state.

Harsh Winters.

The Illinois winters are as mean as their music festivals. Summers in Illinois is short, humid, and hot while the winters tend to be long and unforgiving. Illinois winters are extremely cold. Blizzards are common and the cost of winter in terms of life and property is often very high.

Rising Crime Rates.

Much of America’s homicidal crime rates can be attributed to Illinois. Homicidal cases and other crimes are on the rise in the State.

Apart from homicidal cases, there are several other cases that have often put Illinois on the headlines. Overall, the state of Illinois has a problem of rising crimes.

Ongoing Exodus.

There is an ongoing exodus that is currently happening across Illinois. A report recently stated that in recent years, more people have moved out from Illinois than to it.

Such a trend may serve as an alarm bell for anybody thinking of moving to the State. The trend can be attributed to rising crime rates, harsh winters, rising tax rates on properties and income.

Expensive Housing.

The housing prices in Illinois are costlier compared to several other states across the United States of America.

The cost of housing in cities like Chicago is particularly higher as compared to the rest of the State. Although several people move out, many people come into the state and have prompted such a hike in price.

Illinois has an overall appeal that has seen several people move to it. The people here are friendly and therefore one wouldn’t feel out of place. Illinois also loves its food and therefore has good food to offer.

For sports lovers, there is a lot to talk about in the city as it is home to some of the most iconic sports teams. But for someone moving to Illinois, winter wears and a shovel are indispensable.