When locals stop to take in one of Quincy’s signature sunsets over the Mississippi River, there’s no telling what their day could’ve entailed. It may have included a meal at a restaurant in this Illinois city’s expanding downtown or a visit to one of its 30 parks. Or perhaps a morning at the weekly farmers market followed by an afternoon perusing one of the area’s dozen museums. There are plenty of ways the community's nearly 39,000 residents can spend their time. However, a common denominator is that the eclectic mix of homes sell at relatively affordable prices, averaging $191,500, more than half the national average. The city is home to several historic districts and newer developments. “Overall it’s a good place to live,” says Joe Mays, a designated managing broker with Mays LLC, Realtors and a Quincy native. “If you want to have a family, it’s a pretty safe place for that. And a lot of stuff to do.”
Quincy's walkability along with many shops and restaurants makes it a great place to live.
The Quincy Bayview Bridge welcomes visitors over the Mississippi River into town.
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Historic homes offer character, while modern options bring move-in-ready appeal
At 200 years old, the city has a prevalence of classic houses dating back to the mid-19th century in areas including the East End Historic District and the South Side German Historic District. These options are attractive for their architecture, says Realtor Jen Salerno of the Century 21 Broughton Team. Styles range from Italianate to Second Empire. “I love just driving down the street and looking at the houses,” says Salerno, who is based in nearby Hannibal, Missouri. “Sometimes those older houses need work, but they've been well taken care of.” Quincy’s older homes sell for anywhere from $15,000 to $700,000 based on the condition and square footage.
Quincy also has a wide mix of mid-20th century ranch-style homes and colonials in subdivisions like Northridge and Kingsridge that cost between $70,000 and $500,000. However, many buyers are interested in the city’s newer builds, constructed since the turn of the 21st century and available in neighborhoods including Carriage Hill and Willow Creek. “I’d say 80 percent of the time they want kind of a newer home that’s ready to go, nothing to do, move right in,” Mays says of recent buyers coming into Quincy. These come with price tags between $100,000 and $900,000. Listings sell after 44 days on the market, which matches the national average. “I would say homes around $250,000 and under go fairly quick,” Salerno says. “The higher priced homes, the days on market is higher.”
19th century Queen Annes line the streets of Quincy's East Historic District.
Modern Ranchers like the homes in Willow Creek are common new construction builds in Quincy.
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Blessing helps make health care a major player
Mays considers employment opportunities one of Quincy's biggest draws right now. The 347-bed Blessing Hospital and the Quincy Medical Group network are bringing doctors and nurses into the city—they’re two of the area’s biggest employers, employing roughly 2,900 and 1,000 people, respectively. Manufacturing is also a key industry, with Knapheide, a maker of commercial vehicle equipment in the area, employing 1,500 people. A 59,000-square-foot Amazon distribution center is on the way here, too, set to be completed by early 2026.
Blessing Hospital is the city of Quincy's premiere healthcare center.
Knapheide in north Quincy employs over 1,500 residents.
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Locals can savor the sunset at a riverside park
Quincy’s location along a portion of the Mississippi has made catching the sunset by the water a pastime for some. “I’ve heard of people grabbing a quick bite and taking it down there and watching the sunset,” Mays says. There are multiple spots along the water to grab a seat within the city’s extensive park system, including aptly named Sunset Park and Lincoln Park, which includes an indoor playground and a skate park. The 47-acre Wavering Park has turf ball diamonds. “That’s a big draw,” Mays says. “They have a lot of tournaments.” The hills at the 135-acre South Park draw hundreds for sledding after snow, he says.
Lincoln Park hosts one of the city’s major events, the Gem City Concert Series, a late-May festival with two weekends of rock and country music. Blues in the District draws many to Washington Park for more music on a bimonthly basis from June through August. Washington Park also has a farmers market on Saturdays from May to October.
The city experiences all four seasons, including warm summers and cold winters, with an average of 24 inches of snow a year. According to the National Weather Service, Illinois averages 50 tornadoes a year.
The entire eastern shore of Quincy is lined with parks for recreation like bird watching.
Washington Park in downtown Quincy hosts the local farmers market as well as other events.
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The District is continuing to evolve
Quincy has a good bit of retail and dining, including in the city’s downtown, known as The District. The District has received a lot of investment in recent years — two dozen new businesses opened in 2022 and 6th Street Promenade received new street lights, parking and more as part of a $4 million project completed in 2024. “I’d say, like 15 years ago, there was probably 40% storefront vacancy,” Mays says. “I think it might be like 5% vacant now. That’s really taking off.” The east side of town is full of big-box stores and chains, from Target to Texas Roadhouse.
Locals can also spend free time at museums like The Quincy Museum, a 19th-century Richardsonian Romanesque-style mansion. The first floor is frozen in time, preserved to resemble when the home was finished in 1891, while other floors tell the history of the area dating back to dinosaurs.
Thyme Square Bakery & Cafe is a popular lunch spot for those in downtown Quincy.
Broadway St is home to most of Quincy's large retailers like Target and The Home Depot.
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Quincy Transit moves residents daily
The city's bus service, Quincy Transit, operates eight bus routes Monday through Friday and two on weekends. Regular fare is 50 cents per ride, but riders 65 and older or 4 and younger are free. Quincy also has an Amtrak station, and riders can reach Chicago in about four hours. The city’s Quincy Regional Airport provides daily flights to Chicago and St. Louis. U.S. Route 61 and Interstate 70 connect to St. Louis, about 140 miles away, and I-72 and I-55 lead to Chicago, about a 310-mile trip.
Music is meaningful at Quincy Senior High
Quincy Public Schools system provides public education to the city and earns a B-plus grade on Niche. The district built five new elementary schools over the past several years, including Lincoln-Douglas, Iles, Rooney, Baldwin and Denman. B-rated Quincy Senior High is known for its music and arts programs, Mays says. The music department includes choral, marching and concert band, and orchestra groups. “Probably one of the better programs nationwide I would say, definitely for music,” Mays says. The A-rated St. Dominic School is a private option for prekindergarten to eighth grade. The private, four-year Quincy University is in town, too, serving just over 1,000 students with student-teacher ratios of 14-to-1.
Quincy Senior High is home to one of the nation's top music and arts programs.
Quincy University is home to over 1,000 students and is the home of the Hawks.
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Crime
Quincy experienced an 8% increase in property crime from 2022 to 2023, while there was no change in violent crime over that period, according to the Quincy Police Department’s 2023 annual report. According to the FBI Crime Data Explorer, the city’s violent and property crime rates are below national rates.
I began working in real estate approximately 2.5 years ago. I retired from the Federal Government, where I worked with home buyers/owners and farm buyers/owners. I feel that my experience in that line of work is very beneficial as I assist clients with buying, selling, and financing. For 2019, I had over 5.7M in sales, which I am very proud of. I really enjoy real estate, and my main objective is to provide my clients with the absolute best service and attention that is possible. My main goal is to find you that one perfect piece of property, or the get your property sold. I live in McLeansboro, IL and work in Mt. Vernon, IL. I serve all counties in Illinois. Even if it is 100+ miles, I will personally service your needs, or I will work to find you a local agent that you would be happy working with.
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