If you know that you want to purchase a new home in the midwestern United States but you are unsure about the kind of home you want, the state of Illinois is a great place to look. The median price for homes in the Prairie State is under $150,000, and the kinds of housing available are quite diverse. With smaller houses in the northwest, large square-footage homes in the western and southern regions, and everything in between available in the northeast, there's something for you here.
If a life in a massive, bustling metropolis is what you're looking for in a new hometown, Illinois has plenty to offer. The state capital of Springfield is great for those wanting to spread their wings in the public sector, while the enormous city of Chicago in the northeastern region of the state, with a population of nearly three million people, is the true economic and cultural melting pot of Illinois and arguably for the entire American Midwest. If you'd prefer to be slightly removed from the fast-paced lifestyle of these places, one of their suburbs should fit your needs. Among these, Aurora, Naperville, and Lake View are the most well-known communities.
From an economic point of view, Illinois is largely a microcosm of the larger United States. While unemployment is slightly higher than the rest of the nation, state averages for job growth and salaries are mostly similar. If you are going to Illinois with the intention of finding a new job, you'll be pleased to know that there are many options available. While over a quarter of all occupations in the state are in the fields of sales, office work, and administrative support, the rest of the jobs in the area are quite evenly spread across all industries, with the finance and production sectors being the only other large portions. If options and diversity are on your list of desirable traits for a new home, Illinois fits the bill.
