Relocating to Peoria, Illinois will give you an opportunity to live in an incredible Midwestern city. Peoria offers the highest possible quality of life, with its family-friendly environment and down-to-earth residents, its impeccably maintained public districts and its peaceful residential neighborhoods.

Forbes Magazine ranked Peoria, Illinois as the "Most Affordable U.S. Metropolitan Area to Live," and also called the city one of the "Best Places for Business and Careers." Other publications, such as Inc. Magazine and Sperling and Sanders also named Peoria to their lists of "Best Places to Live."

Peoria first gained national attention during the heyday of Vaudeville, when performers considered "Will it play in Peoria?" The phrase reflects the fact that Peoria is considered the quintessential American town. This phrase is still popular, in both media and political circles, to determine how something might be embraced or reviled in mainstream America.

Relocating families discover that Peoria is still the All-American town from its earliest days. Residents here discover a city that has continually transformed to remain modern, without ever losing its core values or sense of place. For Peoria's approximately 120,000 residents, this means a real hometown with great neighbors, a strong local economy, and an affordable cost of living.

Relocating professionals are able to take advantage of Peoria's abundant employment market. The city has long been the corporate headquarters for Caterpillar, Inc. and major research firms such as the USDA National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research.

The city has recently unveiled its newest research complex, Renaissance Park. Sitting adjacent to the USDA and Caterpillar facilities, Renaissance Park completes Peoria's Medical and Technology District. This is a significant infrastructure, where over $1 billion in research is conducted each year.

Newcomers who relocate to Peoria discover that the city offers its residents the highest possible quality of life. Not only does Peoria boast a wealth of employment opportunities, but the region's affordable cost of living means that this is the kind of American community where singles, seniors and families alike are able to truly thrive.

This is reflected in Peoria's real estate market as well. Home buyers in all prices ranges find that they are able to afford to own a home in Peoria. Additionally, Peoria home buyers find that their dollars stretch much further here than in comparable communities. Because of this affordability, home ownership is a popular option in Peoria, where residents find that their homes have proven to be a wonderful investment decision.

Recent reports indicate that real estate prices in Peoria, Illinois currently start at a listing price of around $10,000 for a single-family "starter" or "fixer-upper" style home. A three-bedroom, two-bath single-family home in Peoria now starts at a listing price of $25,000. The median listing price for this type of home is approximately $185,000.

At the highest end of Peoria's real estate market, home prices now top out at $2,150,000. At this price point, home buyers will discover an immaculate custom home in a gated community with golf course views. This four-bedroom, six-bath home has over 6,000 square feet of living space with impeccable designer appointments in every square inch of this luxurious estate home.

In their free time, Peoria residents are often found in the Peoria Park District, with over 9,000 acres of dedicated park lands. Here, locals can enjoy the Glen Oak Zoo or play at one of the five municipal golf courses. The zoo is in the midst of a large-scale expansion, which will no doubt entice even more folks from the region to visit Peoria.

The arts also play an important part of quality of life in Peoria. A new $100 million Museum Square complex will be completed in 2009, and will boast such illustrious amenities as the Peoria Riverfront Museum, a planetarium, and the Center of Art, History, Science and Achievement.

Peoria is a terrific place to live, work and play. If you are thinking about moving to Peoria, Illinois, simply request our free relocation package today!