"Well if you ever plan to motor west / Travel my way / Take the highway that's the best / Get your kicks on Route 66 / Well it winds from Chicago / To LA / More than two thousand miles / All the way / Get your kicks on Route 66." -- "Route 66" by Depeche Mode
The City of Washington, Illinois is in Tazewell County and is over eight square miles of land with a population of 15,134 people. It has been reported as been the fastest growing community in central Illinois with a 40 percent growth in population. The facts bear this out showing 1,500 new houses built and new commercial properties totalling about 900,000 square feet. It is very clear that many new residents are choosing Washington to call home.
If you would prefer a house and don't mind a short commute, you may find the surrounding towns of Congerville and Goodfield are good choices
"Well if you ever plan to motor west / Travel my way / Take the highway that's the best / Get your kicks on Route 66 / Well it winds from Chicago / To LA / More than two thousand miles / All the way / Get your kicks on Route 66." -- "Route 66" by Depeche Mode
The City of Washington, Illinois is in Tazewell County and is over eight square miles of land with a population of 15,134 people. It has been reported as been the fastest growing community in central Illinois with a 40 percent growth in population. The facts bear this out showing 1,500 new houses built and new commercial properties totalling about 900,000 square feet. It is very clear that many new residents are choosing Washington to call home.
Moving to Washington
If you would prefer a house and don't mind a short commute, you may find the surrounding towns of Congerville and Goodfield are good choices. Both are small, up-market but very pleasant living. Morton is considered the nicest town around but is really for the high income earner.
The best time of year to move and rent is the summer. The weather is more favorable and people are more willing to sign on the dotted line. If you negotiate the lease, you will be able to get pretty good deals. On the other hand, if you are forced to move in winter through circumstance, and you are on a limited budget, you may find the rent being dropped because of the lack of demand. Don't be shy to ask! Haggling is not out of fashion and with today's economy; we have to take care of our pocketbooks. You may try to bargain in order to save on rent - you could offer to take care of the garden. If your husband is a handyman, he could look after the tenant's plumbing jobs. There are many ways to cut down on expenses.
The best advice to offer is to scan the local journals for listings of properties. These are the Peoria Journal Star, Washington Times Reporter, Pekin Daily Times, Woodford Times and the Pantagraph. These newspapers cover all areas in and around Washington.
Neighborhoods in Washington
Washington is a fairly small town but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a lot going on! Here's a little info about what it's like to live in the different parts of town.
West Washington: This part of town is connected to the rest of Washington via Route 8, along which you'll find a variety of shops and restaurants. The Wal-Mart Supercenter is right nearby for all your shopping needs. It's a super residential area with a lot of apartments for rent and single family homes as well.
East Washington: Over here you can find a couple of gyms, like Russell's Cycling and Fitness, and the local Denhart Baking Company. It's not as residential as the west side, but you can definitely find homes and apartment rentals in the northern section off of North Main Street.
Life in Washington
If you are into cultural activities you can choose from the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Centre, the African American Civil War Memorial, the Air Force Museum and the AMA / Art Museum of the Americas, OAS to name a few.
Boasting hundreds of world class eateries such as the Acadiana Restaurant, a Louisiana Fish House, Washington also has a variety of accommodations for visitors and potential residents to take advantage of when initially checking out the area. From Guest Houses to Inns to world-class hotels - again you will need a list, so look up the city's directory. All prices available to suit all pockets.
For the energetic you can go on a walking tour around the city and as the WalkScore is 60, it means you can easily move around the city on foot doing your grocery shopping and sightseeing. There is a large Kroger's Grocery Store at the Cherry Tree Shopping Center and a Wal-Mart Supercenter. You will also find the largest inland wetlands wildlife refuge in America. For the indoor entertainment, cast your eyes skyward at the planetarium and the summer stock theatre.
Washington, DC, Illinois is by all accounts, an enormously exciting city, filled with culture, entertainment, hundreds of eateries and things to do. But mostly, it is a city filled with kind, caring people who don't mind mucking in and helping out their fellow citizens. This is a place that welcomes people and as a choice of city to which to move - you will never go wrong here. People are happy, content and actively work to keep it that way.
