Leaving Illinois for Indiana

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  • Jps1983

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 19, 2020
    8
    1
    Illinoyed
    Hi everyone, I'm new to the site. My wife and I have a 3 yr old son and thinking about having another child. We have been in Illinois all our lives. We are currently in a suburb of Chicago. We have been throwing the idea around of leaving Illinois due to the high taxes and moronic government they have. We have been looking into homes in the Valparaiso area and like what we see so far. Indiana appears to be pretty cost friendly. I think they are less strict with there gun laws and things of that nature too. But I'm just curious to see what you guys and gals think of Indiana as a place to raise a family? Thanks and have a good day.
     

    Tactically Fat

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Oct 8, 2014
    8,270
    113
    Indiana
    Ask a generic question, and you'll get myriad answers.

    Not trying to bag on you, man. Honest. Some life-long Hoosiers hate Indiana. Some transplants hate Indiana.

    I've never lived anywhere else - and I quite like Indiana (though I'm sure I'd like other spots, too).

    Depending on which 'burb you're in, you'll likely not notice much difference at all when you move - other than a slightly lower cost of real estate / rent. But that cost savings will be eaten up by the almost insanely high vehicle registration costs.

    And if you're still in NWI - you'll have generally the same overall politics as where you are in Chicagoland - just on a slightly smaller scale.
     

    ljk

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    May 21, 2013
    2,690
    149
    It depends on how you make a living and other priorities in life. Will it effect your job.

    I'm a transplant from California. I absolutely love here. I still have family, most of them in Los Angeles and San Diego, every time I go back visit them, it reminds me how much big cities/commie government suck.
     

    Jps1983

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 19, 2020
    8
    1
    Illinoyed
    Thanks for the quick replies, yes I figured I'd get some different responses for a generic question. The wife would like to still be close enough to visit family so that's why we started to look at Valparaiso, just over an hour from where we are now. Unless I'm looking at the wrong thing, the property taxes are pretty cheap compared to Illinois. What does your vehicle registration cost? As far as work, I'm a local truck driver and shes in an office with a possibility of working from home. Once again thanks for the replies.
     

    ChristianPatriot

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    28   0   0
    Feb 11, 2013
    12,801
    113
    Clifford, IN
    I’ve got a pretty strong philosophy that Indiana is just about the best state. Hear me out:

    Outside of Indy/B-town, relatively conservative values all around.
    Still on the conservative end of gun rights.
    Far enough north to not have unbearable summers.
    At least in Central/Southern Indiana, far enough south to not have unbearable winters.
    No hurricanes like the east coast.
    No apocalyptic tornadoes like the states west of us.
    No mountains or oceans. So those places remain interesting to us compared to someone who lives at the ocean or mountains. Basically everywhere outside of Indiana seems like a vacation.
     

    WebSnyper

    Maximum Effort
    Rating - 100%
    56   0   0
    Jul 3, 2010
    15,421
    113
    127.0.0.1
    Thanks for the quick replies, yes I figured I'd get some different responses for a generic question. The wife would like to still be close enough to visit family so that's why we started to look at Valparaiso, just over an hour from where we are now. Unless I'm looking at the wrong thing, the property taxes are pretty cheap compared to Illinois. What does your vehicle registration cost? As far as work, I'm a local truck driver and shes in an office with a possibility of working from home. Once again thanks for the replies.

    I moved to IN in 94 with my wife (we had been married about 18 months or so at the time). We were both born and raised in north east FL.
    Had 2 kids, swapped jobs a couple of times since moving here. Not familiar with the specific area of IN you are mentioning, but it has been a great place to raise kids (we are in Central IN, but not in Indy specifically). We picked an area that was known for good schools to live even before we had kids. We don't have any family here and unlike you we were not used to true winters. We miss being close to family, but you won't really have that issue.

    Cost of living is spectacular (there is a state income tax which we didn't have in FL, but most everything else is cheaper here), politics, gun laws, etc are very good. Generally a freedom loving state.
    Check out the specific area you are looking at, possibly rent at first until you get the lay of the land. Vehicle registration is quite high compare to FL and was a shocker when we moved. No idea what its like where you are currently. Overall, I think we did very well moving here, and has been a great place to raise kids (both of mine are now college aged).
     

    spec4

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Jun 19, 2010
    3,775
    27
    NWI
    Wife and I are retired. Moved here from IL ten years ago. We are in St. John and although it is having growing pains we are very happy here. On cars, the bill is high for a new car but goes down each year. I have a 2014 Accord and the tax was $132. I believe IL is just over $100, plus whatever they stick you with for a vehicle sticker. When we were in the Elgin area we paid $75 per car for the privilege of living in Crook county.

    The big saving is in real estate taxes. My bill this year is about $2800. In IL it was almost $7K and that was ten years ago. IL will never change. Their end goal is to disarm you. The corruption and ever increasing taxes over there is disgusting. Get out while you can.
     

    patience0830

    .22 magician
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 96.6%
    28   1   0
    Nov 3, 2008
    17,594
    149
    Not far from the tree
    Just don't show up and vote liberal. Don't California my Texas, so to speak.

    Never understand why people flee a state that is screwed up by people voting for liberals and then vote for libs in the state to which they fled.
     

    femurphy77

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Mar 5, 2009
    20,268
    113
    S.E. of disorder
    Personally I've lived in several locations east of the Rockies, nothing coastal other than Florida, and I've really come to appreciate everything that living in central Indiana brings with it. I've lived in one or two places that I could call better and several definitely worse but overall for my personal interests I have no complaints. I do not have children though (not school age anyway) so can't address that issue. If it weren't for that damned white crap that falls from the sky in the winter and the lack of a good coastal beach I'd stay here in retirement but those plans are already being laid.:rockwoot:
     

    Rick Mason

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 13, 2019
    397
    47
    Lake County
    Living in NWI gives you several benefits. You're only minutes away from some very nice, rural entertainment such as hunting, camping, and other outdoor activities. Yet, you are also only minutes away from the very real benefits of living close by a major city. I try to spend as little time as possible in Cook County, but there is no denying that for some things you can't beat having it close by. For us, in particular, there are three huge supermarkets representing three different Asian countries within an easy drive.

    Dyer, St. John, or even Ceder Lake are all nice, and put you within easy distance of commuting into Illinois if you are still going to work there.
     

    wcd

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 2, 2011
    6,274
    113
    Off the Grid In Tennessee
    Yes coming from Illinois it would be very cost friendly. We moved out of Boone Grove about 6 years ago to our current homestead. So there is that, then you have to take into consideration that Indiana is the home of the Church Mouse. So maybe Illinois is not looking that bad? But seriously after moving approximately everY 15 months, Michigan, South Dakota, Indiana, the list goes on. Indiana was a nice place to be and were it not for Job transfers we could have been happy to stay. Nice people for the most part, solid Midwestern values. And of course there is Ingo which is filled with some pretty upstanding members.

    Just my .02
     

    Trigger Time

    Air guitar master
    Rating - 98.6%
    204   3   0
    Aug 26, 2011
    40,112
    113
    SOUTH of Zombie city
    I agree 100% you wont have to worry about that.
    GREAT!!
    imo Valparaiso is full of liberals. Might not recognize the difference between it and crapcago and comminoise on a lot of things.
    I'd pick another city.

    But yeah I'm also sick of seeing liberals flea their homebase to greener pastures and then bringing liberal ideas with them and trying to force them on the rest of us.
    Theres a reason cities ran by democraps suck
     

    qwerty

    Master
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Sep 24, 2010
    1,514
    113
    NWI
    GREAT!!
    imo Valparaiso is full of liberals. Might not recognize the difference between it and crapcago and comminoise on a lot of things.
    I'd pick another city.

    But yeah I'm also sick of seeing liberals flea their homebase to greener pastures and then bringing liberal ideas with them and trying to force them on the rest of us.
    Theres a reason cities ran by democraps suck
    Like a plague of locust....
     

    squidvt

    Expert
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jun 15, 2012
    750
    28
    Southport, IN
    I'm a fellow Illinois Refuge, from the same situation. I came here 10 years ago. I LOVE THIS STATE. I laugh when my friend in IL complain about taxes.. and how expensive everything is. Just remember to leave Chiraq in Illinois.
     

    target64

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Apr 22, 2009
    9,763
    149
    West Side
    I made the move over 20 years ago. But I was from Central Illinois , not that crap hole of Chicago. Things are nicer here in Indiana, but you cannot get a decent Horseshoe meal.
     

    deo62

    Master
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    18   0   0
    Apr 8, 2009
    3,199
    113
    Peru
    Oh yeah, if you move to Indiana, you get blamed for all the firearms that find their way into Chicago!
     

    Phase2

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Dec 9, 2011
    7,014
    27
    Oh yeah, if you move to Indiana, you get blamed for all the firearms that find their way into Chicago!

    I'm still trying to figure out why Indiana guns go rogue when someone takes them to Chicago. They aren't nearly as dangerous here...
     
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