illinois...that's just not true anymore. not that the housing is expensive, but 300 will get you nothing close to an estate on many acres. just for the average suburbs of rochester, 300k might get you in the area of 2500 sq ft on .5-1 acres. i think people wildly under estimate what you will pay for property here.
the school taxes are brutal, and we don't even live in pittsford or brighton, (where the nations best schools are). i think we pay around 14k a year. good schools, but 14k?