Moving to Illinois
When relocating, you want to ensure you can fully grasp and control the process throughout. To do so, you will have to prepare in advance and make strict plans of action. By approaching the process properly, you actively work on minimizing stress and avoiding unnecessary issues. However, regardless of your experience with relocations, hiring a professional moving company is the best and easiest way to finish the process without any serious problems. In today’s article, we will discuss many different sides of moving to Illinois. We will talk about the pros and cons of living there and what you need to do to be fully ready for it.
Pros and cons of moving to Illinois
The state of Illinois is located in the midwest region of the United States. Although not the biggest state in the US, Illinois has the fifth-largest gross domestic product (GDP) and is ranked sixth in the population count. The state usually has a humid continental climate. This means that you can expect hot and humid summers and cold winters. Moreover, Illinois counts more than 12.672.000 residents which makes it the most populous state of the midwest region. The capital of the state is Springfield, but the biggest city is the city of Chicago.
Pros of living in Illinois:
- Varying job opportunities
- A reasonable cost of living
- History, agriculture and natural beauty sightings are everywhere to be found
Cons of living in Illinois:
- High job competition
- Bad driving/commuting experience
- Intense winters
How to adequately prepare for the relocation to Illinois?
If this is the first time you are moving to these parts of the States, we advise hiring professional assistance. For instance, hiring best long distance movers Illinois is going to be quite helpful for the process. Regardless, moving to a new state or to a new part of the country means you will have to adapt. By adapting, we mean – you will have to get accustomed to the local climate, which can be pretty harsh sometimes. Moreover, if you are moving from a smaller town or city, you will have to be ready for the constant traffic jams and rush-hours. The metropolitan area of Chicago is often one of the hardest places to commute to although there are many and frequent commuting options.
Know the weather you are moving into
The first thing you should be aware of is the weather. Namely, summers will often be quite humid and hot while winters are usually harsh and cold. This can pose an issue to people who are coming from the southern parts of the states. When you are packing for the move, be aware of the weather conditions and prepare adequately. For instance, depending on when you are moving, be sure to pack warm clothes to have during the winter.
Having warm clothes in your moving checklist is the best way to ensure that you are not surprised by the weather. Moreover, you can visit some local shops and malls to buy yourself some adequate clothes. This will be a great way for you to get to know the area you will be in.
Moving to Illinois might be a good step for your career
The state of Illinois can boast its problem-solving techniques when it comes to employing residents. For instance, the unemployment rate has gone down from 11.7% to 4.8% in a little over 10 years span. This means that the chances of you finding a proper job in the state are pretty good. Some of the highest-paying jobs in the state are physicians, surgeons, psychiatrists, and air-traffic controllers. Moreover, the state is a perfect place for those seeking careers in the health/medical industry, computers and technology, clean energy, and food industry. The biggest issue you might find with finding a job is that good job offers attract competitors. The high job competition rate might make it a bit more difficult to find a perfect job. This is, sort of, expected as it offers jobs in different fields with proper income.
Calculate your budget to figure out the best housing option
The most important thing when moving is calculating your moving budget. Moreover, when moving to Illinois you will have to calculate all the expenses you can see how much money you have for living there. For instance, before you hire long distance moving companies Chicago you should know that the median house cost is about $192.000. On top of that, if you want to rent a home, you will have to set aside approximately $1.550 a month. Moreover, if you want to lower your costs, you can opt for a one-bedroom apartment for $1.350 per month. The state of Illinois is a perfect blend of the house architecture from the ’50s and ’60s and various complexes of newer buildings. This means that you will surely find exactly what you are looking for in a home.
Prepare for rush-hours, traffic jams, and blizzards
The city of Chicago alone has over 9 million inhabitants. This makes it the third-largest metropolitan area in the United States. This makes it very difficult to commute most of the time. Although you will find a plethora of commuting options like trains, busses, and highways – bigger cities tend to be quite full and hard to get through. Moreover, you should be ready for snowy weather and blizzards.
The summers are quite short and hot but the winters are pretty harsh. This can also reflect on your ability to drive safely. Because of that, you should always consider having proper winter equipment for your vehicle. Moreover, prepare shovels and items you will need to have a safe and stressless journey when commuting after moving to Illinois.