Living in North Peoria: Commute Times to OSF, Caterpillar and War Memorial

Most people who move to Peoria move for a job, and most of those jobs are at one of a handful of places. If you are deciding which part of town to live in, the commute is usually the deciding factor — and Peoria is small enough that the differences are measured in minutes rather than hours.

Here is what the drive looks like from north Peoria.

The drives

OSF HealthCare — about 8 minutes. This is the one that matters most to anyone working shifts. Eight minutes at the end of a twelve-hour shift is a meaningfully different life from twenty-five, and the route does not go through the worst of the downtown traffic.

Caterpillar — about 10 minutes. Straightforward, and it runs against the heaviest direction of morning traffic rather than with it.

War Memorial Drive — about 5 minutes. This is where most of the everyday shopping, groceries and restaurants are. Close enough that you are not planning trips around it.

Dunlap schools — about 3 minutes.

Downtown Peoria — roughly 15 minutes, depending on where exactly you are headed.

What living in this part of town is actually like

North Peoria is quieter than downtown and closer to the newer retail. It is residential — lawns and trees rather than a walkable grid — so a car is realistic rather than optional. That is true of most of Peoria.

The trade-off runs the other way as well: rents in north Peoria run above the city average. You are paying for the school district and the proximity, and it is worth being clear-eyed about whether both matter to you.

If you are relocating from out of town

Come and drive it at the hour you would actually commute. Peoria traffic at 7:30am is not Peoria traffic at 2pm, and no map estimate will tell you what a specific intersection is like.

Look at winter. Central Illinois gets real winters. Ask what gets plowed, when, and where you would park. A garage stops being a luxury in January.

Time it from the actual address, not from "north Peoria" generally. The area spans several miles.

Ask about lease start flexibility if your start date is not fixed yet.

About The Grove

Renovated one, two and three-bedroom homes in north Peoria, inside Dunlap CUSD 323.

• One bedroom, 792 sq ft, one bath — from $975/mo
• Two bedroom, 968 sq ft, one and a half baths — from $1,175/mo
• Three bedroom, 1,160 sq ft, two full baths — from $1,475/mo

Water, sewer and trash bundled at a flat $50 a month. Updated kitchens with new countertops and stainless appliances, new flooring, an on-site fitness center, clubhouse and game room, resident lounge, three clothing-care centers, private garages and off-street parking. Smoke-free community. Cats and dogs welcome, up to two per home.

Tours seven days a week — 309-691-6605 or grovepeoria.com.