Reasons to move to Indiana?

[pumpkingirl]

My husband and I live in Minneapolis but every so often get the itch to move. I work for a financial company and he will be stay at home dad. What are the cool places to live (we loved Bloomington, haven't spent much time elsewhere)? What are the pros/cons? Good job prospects? Cost of living? Cool crafty communities? I would like a smaller city than what we have now (3 million).

Lemme know your thoughts!!

[Tenille]

I jsut have to say this. I read the title of this topic, and while I'm sure there are some perfectly wonderful reasons to move here, (I live in Fort Wayne, Indiana) My first thought was "Move to Indiana? Why would anybody want to do that?" lol. I'm such a sad Hoosier. It's especially bad since I'm an alumnus of Indiana University which makes me a Hoosier twice over. 

[pumpkingirl]

Aha! That's the kind of responses I want to hear, though! I'd like to hear the good, the bad and the ugly before I make a decision!!

[Tenille]

Well, its nice here if you have a family and everything. But being 29, single and related to quite a few people here, it gets a little old. Ask away with any questions you might have. If I can answer I will. http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/ will have some touristy type info and then theres always www.in.gov the states website.

[fiberartist219]

Hey, I guess I'm a double hoosier too, if IU alums count for that.

Anyway, I love living in Indy. There is plenty to do, and it is easy make friends. Plus, Indy is big enough that you don't know everyone, but small enough that you still know the people in your neighborhood, and they know you. The cost of living is notoriously low in everywhere in Indiana except maybe Lake County (by Chicago). Of course, the further out in the boonies you get, the cheaper it is, but personally, I like to stay near civilization. Even so, it is very reasonable to live here.

Bloomington is very awesome. My husband detests the traffic patterns there, but I probably would have lingered a bit for grad school if I didn't have so many student loans. I had a lot of fun there, but I had a very active campus life, and I don't know, but I'm sure the atmosphere is fun off campus too.

I used to wonder why anyone wanted to live in Indiana, but every time I leave I miss it. The best part is that I belong here... I don't have an accent, and I know where things are for the most part. The worst part of Indiana is for sure the weather. We have extremely hot summers and extremely cold winters. I bet it's a lot like Minneapolis, but probably a bit less snow. I would know for sure though. I've never been to Minnesota. I've been to Wisconsin a few times though, and my cousin insists I move there. I would love to live on the lake, but there's no way I'm getting a snow blower big enough to handle that, and it's a bit more expensive in cow country, believe it or not. I think I'll stay in corn country... lol.

FYI, I used to live in Fort Wayne, and I must say it is really boring unless you're into drinking or raising a family. I think the whole town is based around those activities. Everyone is either a bar hopper or a parent it seems. Lots of good schools, friendly neighborhoods, and lots and lots of boredom! The art scene is way cooler in Indianapolis! I will probably live here for the rest of my life (unless somehow I can afford to live in Hawaii... I could see that happening too.)

[beforecast]

While I can see your stance, I must disagree.  Indianapolis is a horrible place to live if you are under the age of 21.  There is nothing to do if you can't get into bars, which is where all of the GOOD bands play.  About once a year there will be an all ages concert featuring indie bands, but most of the time they only play at the Vogue or Music Mill, both of which require an ID.  Bloomington and Broad Ripple are alright, but other than those two places Indiana is a very repressive place to be as a teen.

[Tenille]

I agree with both of youfiberartist219  and beforecast . You are both absolutely correct!

[sundayafternoonhousewife]

I have to say that I love Indianapolis. I grew up in Kokomo and moved to Indy 3 years ago. My husband and I just bought our first house here and  we plan to stay for a while. We both are also IU alums and we are both teachers at Ivy Tech.

I understand the frustration with with not being able to get into good shows, but Indy is working on it. There are places to go, like the Irving or Big Car Gallery,  but under 21 places always come and go due to lack of support.

I can say that right now I really wouldn't want to live anyplace else. The cost of living is really low compared to almost anywhere and there are some kick a** apartments near downtown with cheap rent.

We have a huge art scence and the city is really trying to promote it with building a cultural trail through the city. We have a First Friday art opening every month, lots of awesome indie bands, and (sorry under 21er's) some really great bars. We also get good shows even at the smaller bars.

There is also a really nice bike trail through town, lots of farmer's markets, and one of the largest parks within city limits in the country.

I would suggest a visit to Indy before you move, but stay for a few days so you can get a good feel for the place.

I guess that is about it, but I have to say I love this city. Minneapolis is cool though because you have the Museum of Questionable Medical Devices. We certainly don't have that here!

[Sophisticated Hippie]

I have a completely different view of Indianapolis.  Mostly because I am much older from the sounds of the other posters (42) and I moved here from Washington State via Illinois.  Indianapolis has the feel of a small town but the shopping advantages of a metropolitan area.  Indianapolis itself has some issues with property taxes and the entire state has an income tax.  The licensing fees for vehicles is fair to average.  We live just inside Indianapolis and if we have the chance to move but still live near my husband's work we would move to Greenwood because of lower taxes and better neighborhoods.  We tend to like to go to Nashville, TN a few times a year and its within driving distance.  Cincinatti (sp) and Louisville are also very close.  My kids grew up in WA and live in other states currently so I cant say how it is in comparison to other places for raising children but I think parents have more of an influence over those types of issues than a place does.  Public transit here is average to good and in comparison to driving in Portland, OR or Seattle, WA, Indinanapolis is a breeze.  If you are used to having good fresh local produce available its not really an option here.  I havent been able to find descent potatoes, cherries or apples since I moved.  The humidity here is more than I can handle at times but I'm used to living in the desert.  Even after 7 years living out here its still difficult.  85 degrees here in the summer humidity is torture in comparison to 100 degrees in the desert.  The bugs are still freaking me out too, lol.  I still get the shakes every time a tornado siren goes off.  On the very positive side though, for the most part people are very friendly here.

[Feast Your Eyes]

I grew up in Lafayette, IN, went to college in Muncie, IN and currently live in Indianapolis.

Lafayette is a college town, with the typical college attractions
(bars, restaurants). They have good schools, especially West Lafayette and in the county. It is a good place to raise a family, being a mid-sized town with low crime. Housing in Lafayette is rather high. There are some major industries there that keep the local economy going, and unlike some towns, there are more than one that the town relies on. Besides Purdue University, there is Subaru, Alcoa, and Wabash National, which are national companies. Shopping and entertainment are probably sufficient for most families, but skimpy for active people who like to go to plays, concerts, etc. There are some nice annual festivals, including several art fairs, but the local art community is not as strong as Indy. Another unique thing about Lafayette is a thriving Hispanic community.

Stay away from Muncie. It is very blue collar, poor economy, and basically the only thing going for it is Ball State University.

I LOVE living in Indy. There is always something to do. There are many neighborhood choices, and probably more career opportunities. I've heard that the Indianapolis Public Schools leave a lot to be desired, so if you have children or plan to, you may want to settle in one of the surrounding communities, like Fishers, Noblesville, Carmel, Westfield, Zionsville, Greenwood, etc. Speedway seems a little rough, so I'd avoid that area.

Well, that is my 2 cents. Hope it was helpful.

[x0xmanda]

when i first read your title i thought, "uhhhh are there any?"
i moved here last year from massachusetts, and i'm STILL homesick. no hills, no ocean, man made ponds, apartment neighborhoods called "nantucket bay" which are not even close, everything looking the same.... ugh. it's really hard for me to find my way around the city becuase of the last one.... and i'm from a small town too.

anyway so yea i'm probably a little biased  but i know a lot of people love indiana! 

[missjesswinkwink]

Well. I've lived most of my life in IN, grew up on the westside of Indy and went to college at Purdue in West Lafayette.  However, I moved to NYC for a while for school, and lived there for a little over a year. I have good perspective in regards to IN's pros and cons - to be honest, I loved NYC, but I missed the beauty of Indiana's countryside, the down-home traditions, the unique cultural experiences such as having Amish neighbors, etc. I couldn't wait to get back here, it's just a beautiful state! Creative people seem to like it because (a.) we can make our own fun and (b.) the cost of living is conducive to supporting oneself sufficiently (as opposed to paying $1200 a month for a 1 bdrm in Queens).

I currently live in Lafayette, IN because I just graduated from Purdue University and I'm starting my company - we have a good cost of living up here, there's a great old-school country and rockabilly/hillbilly scene and random-good-music scene (if that's what you're into, which I am - there are also a lot of touring punk and hardcore bands who come through due to a powerhouse recording studio here), and of course lots of major events (concerts from major artists, touring theater, touring international acts, etc.) due to Purdue's proximity right across the Wabash.  It's a quick 2 hour drive up I-65 to Chicago for any kind of shows or shopping - I make the jaunt regularly.

I really do like Lafayette, it's a nice size, but it's also very working class due to the major industrial employers in the area, so parts can seem a little rundown. Downtown is beautiful though, and there is a thriving art scene (contrary to what others have said), you just have to know where to look. Lacks good shopping though. I work at 1 of 2 indie boutiques on the west side, there are a few more scattered downtown. Great bars as it's a college town, the bars downtown have a ton of live music throughout the week (YAY!).  Very good schools, a great place to raise a family, beautiful and historical countryside just a quick jaunt out of town. LOTS of historical places, so nerding out is an option around here.

I also love Indy. As said before, First Fridays are awesome. I swing dance a lot, so I'm always down at Fountain Square on Friday nights for the bi-weekly swing dancing at the Fountain Square Theater. And if anyone likes sports, there are a lot of sports. Lot's. Yeah, Indy's great.

I also like Bloomington, it's a really great town with a jumpin' music scene, some great tattoo shops (plug for my buddies, sorry), great stores/shopping, great art and culture. The countryside down there is glorious too - very hilly and quaint.

I <3 Indiana. I guess you have to leave to appreciate it, I hated it when I was younger. I've matured a bit in that regard .

[jerryleetypes]

I grew up up in Lafayette and I turned out alright (at least I think so). Lafayette has spawned a multitude of famous folks including Axl Rose & Izzy Stradlin of Guns N' Roses, Tammy Lynn Michaels (actress, wife of Melissa Ethridge, and former favorite person to eat lunch with at Jefferson High School), Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon and some other people that I can't think of right now. I have fond memories of perusing the antique shops downtown and seeing many great punk & hardcore shows. As MissJess mentioned in the previous post it's the type of place where you often have to make your own fun, but there's culture and subculture waiting to be discovered. I currently live in Indianapolis, home of The Naptown Roller Girls (NRG for short) ; Indy's only all female roller derby team. Attendence at bouts averages 2000 people which far exceeds the attendence of most other leagues in the nation. There are too many great things in Indianapolis to mention. I love Indiana and I always think of other places I'd like to live but then I think of everyone I know who's moved away...they always come back.

[Tenille]

Yeah, lots of famous people are from Indiana, and if you're a craftster (which you obviously are) you can make your own fun and maybe some for someone else too!!

jerryleetypes I didn't know Indy had a Roller Derby team!!! I'm so gonna have to come see them now next time I'm there!!!That jsut rocks! Indiana has many hidden treasures! And I'm pretty sure that the majority of us are like  you and we too turned out alright!At least that's what my mother tells me.

[jerryleetypes]

jerryleetypes I didn't know Indy had a Roller Derby team!!!

First bout of the new season is December 29th, and you can see thier uniforms hand-made by a fellow craftster, me!

[Tenille]

Thanks  jerryleetypes !!!

[missedakick]

If you are raising children, Indianapolis is a great choice! I used to nanny here and there is always something cheap to do with your kids. Let me elaborate-

The biggest children's museum in the country is located in Indianapolis. This is an excellent place to visit, even for adults, I always learn something new and it's also home of one of the largest Chihuhly (blown glass) sculptures in the world. PLUS, a family membership with unlimited access for up to 6 people is only $88.

The Indianapolis zoo. I have only been here with the kiddies a few times but it is reputably a forward thinking green type zoo. The animals are in natural habitat enclosures, etc, etc. Very fun. The penguin house it divine.

The new public library was just finished downtown and it is once of the most beautiful buildings! It is basically one old neo-classical style library linked to a 6 story modern glass edifice by this amazing glass atrium flanked with steel flying buttresses. I love the library. The children's wing is an amazing place called playscape. They conuct daily story times and there is a planetarium!

Not to mention the Indy parks system rocks!

The art museum also has a really world-class collection.

The farmer's market scene is exploding and it is possible to get delicious organic produce inexpensively. The farmer I work for runs a CSA the website is here-- www.homesteadgrower s.com

Broad Ripple or Meridian Kessler would be my plugs for neighborhoods you should look at. Fountain Square is nice, but still feels unsafe to me at night.

All of this comes to you from a girl who was born and bred in small town Indiana, then moved to San Diego for a few years, then back to Indiana, settling on Indianapolis. I also take frequent trips to Chicago and Nashville, however, and would probably dislike Indy if it were more isolated, so to speak.

Gee, I hope this helps a little!

[lucyinthesky16]

uuugggghhh....
I agree, indy is awesome.  sadly, i have only bittersweet memories because my dad was in the hospital there when he had cancer. anyways, i live in a tiny TINY town in northwest indiana, and there is NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING here! yea, there's the beach, but it's like an hour away.  nobody talks to each other, im out in the boonies, and i have to drive forty five minutes to do ANYTHING! so, if you move to indiana, stick to the big towns. otherwise you will literally be bored to death. (but on the plus size, i have nothing to do but sew in my down time...heh.)

[kittyfreud]

I am an Indy girl born and raised currently stranded in Muncie. Muncie's not a wonderful place by any means, but Indy is a great place to live, especially if you stay in the city instead of the newer subdivisions. The city itself is laid out on a grid, making it easy to get around, and there are wonderful old trees and lots of museums. Also, homes are cheaper in Indiana in general than a lot of other places in the country, and, though people will probably disagree with me, the public schools are good and getting better.
Broad Ripple is a wonderful neighborhood, though pricier than some of the neighborhoods in the city, Mass Ave has some beautiful homes and apartments and is closer to downtown. Both of them have an active crafting, antiques and art community, and a large variety of good bars and restaurants
The nice thing about Indianapolis is how there's many of the cultural benefits of a big city, but there are quiet, natural areas that are easy to find all over the city for the times when you need to let go.

[HorrorCraft]

I moved to Indianapolis six years from Virginia Beach and experienced a major culture shock.  A totally different type of people completely.  I grew up in a very diverse laid back entertainment driven military beach town, perfect for young people but the cost of the living was way expensive. 
Indy seems to appeal more to families and the devoutly religious.
With that said, the music scene is dead compare to what I was used to on the East Coast.
Cost of living is low.  The apartment I live in for under $700 on the northside would be $1200 in Virginia Beach and nowhere near the beach.     
And truthfully, I don't know that many crafty people.  Atleast no one who likes to do so in a group.  I keep an eye on the Library's events page and occassionally take a class there.  Also the IMA does events, tho I have never even been.
Speaking of the IMA, Indy has awesome museums.  The Medical History is one of the coolest ever.  And I LOVE the Children's Museum and I don't even have kids.

[DJTch7]

Go to Bloomington or Indy. Terre Haute is so-so, we've got a small art/music scene, but we're trying to change that. I really can't think of anything else to recommend about TH.