SperlingViews - Belvidere, Illinois
72.01% of people are white, 2.81% are black, 1.19% are asian, 0.53% are native american, and 23.47% claim 'Other'. 34.31% of the people in Belvidere, IL, claim hispanic ethnicity (meaning 65.69% are non-hispanic).
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Cost of living GEM! - 6/2/2008
I recently moved back to Belvidere from the suburbs of Chicago. I am very happy to find that the cost of living is far cheaper than anyother place I have found in IL (& I moved around quite a bit in college....Bloomington-Normal, Macomb and then quite a bit throught the burbs Elk Grove Village, Elgin, Palatine, Des Plaines). Of course, you do sacrifice wide selection (forget anything exotic, ethnic, or cutting edge) and availability (most stores/phamacies/gas stations are not open 24 hrs - which takes some gettng used to). Overall, for the basics of gas, food, clothing, and beer in one of the many "dive" bars ($1.50 ???? REALLY??? YES!!!) are all consistantly cheaper in Belvidere.[read more...] |
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The City of Murals - 7/8/2006
About 10 years ago, the big whoop de do was painting murals in the dowtown area of Belvidere. I must say that when I heard of the idea, I thought it was going to be a big bust, but now they have been up for a while. The outside walls of buildings in Belvidere have never looked better. Belvidere has its pros and cons like any city. It is based on its once good football team. Kind of reminded me of the movie Friday Night Lights; however, it is going away from that direction. It used to be that if you needed anything, you would have to go to nearby Rockford, but now they have the basic major retailers and the beginnings of some actual chain restaurants. Belvidere's school system is a major selling point for the influx of Chicagoan commuters relocating to the area. Housing prices are getting up there now. Seems like every year, on the ballot is another referendum for more money to finance another school which the system itself is bursting at the seams. Crime is pretty non-exsistant with the amazing police force Belvidere features. You get your basic wanna be gang banger everyt now and then, but if you want any real crime problems, you would need to go to the westside of Rockford. If you were contemplating whether to move here or not, or where to move in the Rockford region, I think Belvidere would be a great choice.[read more...] |
