Macomb is a friendly, affordable college town centered on Western Illinois University with a walkable downtown, local coffee shops and breweries, a farmers market, arts events, parks and bike trails—great for multi‑week therapy contracts when you want evenings and weekends that feel worth staying for.
Bigger-city options are within about an hour: Peoria to the east offers museums, a larger dining/entertainment scene and major hospitals, and Quincy to the west adds a scenic riverfront, festivals and extra shopping, so you won’t feel isolated between assignments.