Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
So many discussions about how some places are like worlds better to live in, but honestly I don't think most people think this way. I have lived in Peoria, Iowa City and now Chicago in my life, and people can have access to good restaurants, fun happy hour spots, scenic nature, diverse communities, concerts, sporting events, direct flights, etc. in every location. Sure, in Chicago you will have better direct flight options, but in Iowa City you will have less crime. In Iowa City you will get the "diversity" often associated with a college town, but in Peoria you can get a truly gorgeous house for relatively cheap. Do I personally prefer the bigger city life of living in Chicago? Absolutely, but there are things I miss about Iowa City sometimes, and there are things I really value about Peoria when we visit (BTW, it always shocks me how surprisingly unappreciated Peoria's natural topography is for the Midwest ... for Central IL, it's incredibly scenic). None of this even touches on the fact that different areas are for different people.
I'm sure Lexington and Northwest Arkansas are awesome (actually never been to either), but if Orlando wants to work here, it will not be like moving from New York City to Rantoul, lol. Champaign has PLENTY to do, especially for its size, and it ranks quite well on lists of places to live. Besides, if you are like Fighter and Mrs. Fighter, you can often have a great time just going out to eat and to a nice happy hour ... and Champaign has excellent options for both!
I'm sure Lexington and Northwest Arkansas are awesome (actually never been to either), but if Orlando wants to work here, it will not be like moving from New York City to Rantoul, lol. Champaign has PLENTY to do, especially for its size, and it ranks quite well on lists of places to live. Besides, if you are like Fighter and Mrs. Fighter, you can often have a great time just going out to eat and to a nice happy hour ... and Champaign has excellent options for both!