Indianapolis is in Indiana.
This city is famous for capturing the hearts of many people. However, some would cringe at the thought of Indianapolis.
Why would they?
Indianapolis is a city full of excitement. It is a city that is so special you may find yourself never wanting to leave later on.
Today, we will talk about what makes Indianapolis, IN, so special. Also, we will be discussing a few things that could be the reason why some people cringe at the thought of it.
So, let’s get started.
List of Contents
Is Indianapolis, IN, a good place to live in? Suburban and Affordable City Living
Indianapolis has a beautiful capital building surrounded by excellent schools, art, entertainment options, and museums. There are also a lot more than these things.
It is a big city with a small-town vibe. And it is an affordable city.
Is it a perfect place you can call home?
I would say so.
And here are the reasons why.
The Good Side
Let us start discussing the good stuff.
Here are why Indianapolis, IN, is a great city for you.
It is Cheap!
When moving to another city, the most important consideration should always be the cost of living.
And in Indianapolis, IN, this is one of the main reasons you should move here.
Moving to another city always comes with a price tag. And in Indianapolis, IN, the price tag is cheaper compared to other bigger cities.
The cost of living in Indianapolis is more affordable.
It is the 48th most affordable in the country. And this only means that the prices here are lower.
Overall, Indianapolis is 16.5% cheaper than the national average.
And if you don’t believe me, you can check out their housing costs.
Indianapolis is 38.1% cheaper than the national average in housing costs. The median home cost is US$183,000, a price tag way below the national average of US$291,700.
And speaking of housing costs, you should see the suburban areas here.
Suburban Living at its Finest
Now, speaking of suburbs, I have got something to tell you.
Indianapolis, IN, has the best suburbs around.
If you are raising a family and you want a safer and quieter place for you to live, go to Indianapolis.
The lifestyle here is slow-paced. However, despite the slow-paced lifestyle, you will still get to enjoy the many amenities a more extensive metro can offer.
In Indianapolis, you get to have both of these.
However, what makes everything more special in Indianapolis is the entertainment options you will have.
We will discuss that later.
Big City – Small Town
As they always say, it is always hard to duplicate Midwestern hospitality.
Here, people are more courteous and generous than people in small towns are. But you do not have to be in a small town in the Midwest to have these things.
Indianapolis is famous for being a little big town.
It may be a big city, but it has a small-town feel despite its population.
Here, you can find all the events, festivals, museums, sports, and nightlife that a big city can offer. On the other hand, you can also find a friendly and small-town vibe here.
And I should tell you, it is always hard to balance these two.
Head over to the downtown area, and you will find the area walkable. And when you walk here, everybody seems to be taking their sweet time at things.
Indianapolis is a more flexible option than other bigger cities like Chicago or New York.
The lives of the locals here may be busy. However, I find that the stress level here is lower.
People are kinder.
A Horde of Activities
It would be safe to say that when in Indianapolis, you would never run out of things to do. And these activities are all fun.
For starters, Indianapolis is famous for being the home of many professional sports.
Here, you will get to attend games. You can even see teams practice.
Indianapolis is home to the Indianapolis Colts. It is also the birthplace of the Indiana Pacers. Plus, it is here that you will find the Indianapolis 500 most of the time.
Although, you might find that my interest in car races waned. But, if you are into car racing, the Indianapolis 500 should be your thing.
However, if you are not into sports, you will still have a wide variety of things to do here.
For instance, you can head over to the city’s downtown area. Downtown Indianapolis is one of a kind. It is pretty. It is large. Plus, the downtown area is also compact.
And like I said earlier, the downtown area has several activities that you can do. All these activities are a few minutes away from each other.
The downtown area of Indianapolis, IN, is full of museums, restaurants, and parks. You may also find a convention center and a wide selection of sports arenas here.
The downtown area of Indianapolis has most of the activities you will find in the city.
The Bad Side
It is natural to find the bad sides of a town or a city everywhere you may go.
Here, we will discuss a few things you should know before moving. These may not be the worst that you will find in Indianapolis. However, these should be a few concerns that you should consider.
A Weather You Need to Weather
Indianapolis has four seasons. And for most of those who live here, it is more of an advantage. And yes, it is an advantage.
You can have summer, spring, winter, and fall in one city.
However, there is this particular season that you need to read on.
That season is winter.
The winter season in Indianapolis is always the time when people hibernate. And yes, I believe this is normal in other cities that go through winter, too.
The only difference with winter in Indianapolis is it gets frigidly cold here. It is so hard during winter in Indianapolis that it shuts down the city’s life.
During winters, people stay in their homes and would only go out of their homes for essentials.
When you go outside during winter, you have to be in your Eskimo-like clothes. Also, you have to embrace Eskimo habits when outdoors.
And not only that, but during winter, you also have to worry about poor road conditions.
Indianapolis has a poor image when it comes to its road conditions. It could be because of the regular freezing and thawing resulting in potholes.
What do I talk about here?
Well, if you are the kind of person who likes staying indoors for most of the winter season, this should not worry you.
However, if you have problems staying indoors for most of the winter, this season can be a problem for you in Indianapolis.
The Landscape; or the Lack of It
I can only tell you that the landscape in Indianapolis has nothing much to present.
You will find that the city has no beautiful mountains or a large body of water you can stare at when stressed. It does not have rolling hills or anything else that could make outdoor activities enjoyable.
Sure, there are outdoor activities in Indianapolis. However, if you are into hiking, swimming, or anything that involves the beauty of Mother Nature, there is none here.
And it is not surprising.
It is because, when looking at Indianapolis, you must consider its geographical location. Its location is in the Midwest. And sure enough, there is nothing much here regarding beautiful landscapes.
Are you an artist who gets inspiration from the beauty of nature?
This city is not for you.
What is the cost of living in Indianapolis? Attractive Living Cost
If there is one word to describe the cost of living in Indianapolis, it is attractive.
The cost of living is a magnet that draws thousands of people to move into the city. As of this writing, Indianapolis’s overall cost of living is 16.5% lower than the national average.
I will discuss these below.
The Good Side
The cost of living in Indianapolis is reasonable. And this is the reason why more and more people are moving to Indianapolis in the last few years.
One of the most significant factors to consider is the cost of housing.
Indianapolis has it cheap in this category. It is, in fact, cheaper than the national average by 38.1%. When you compare Indianapolis with other cities in Indiana, you will find that the city is a bit more expensive than the others in terms of housing. But the difference is a mere 0.2%.
The median home cost here is US$183,000. The price is lower compared to the national average of US$291,700. With the cost of housing alone, it is already an attractive option to move here.
The cost of healthcare is one of the cheapest around.
Healthcare costs in Indianapolis are 13.2% more affordable than the national average.
We also see the same trend regarding food and groceries, which are 6.4% cheaper than most cities in the US.
And then, we have the cost of utilities.
The cost of utilities in Indianapolis covers your electricity, internet, and water consumption. It also covers your garbage disposal and the like.
Here, you will see that the utility costs are 9.8% more affordable than anywhere else in the country.
And finally, we have the cost of transportation. Indianapolis is cheaper than the national average by 9.2%.
In general, living in Indianapolis is not expensive.
The Bad Side
Indianapolis is affordable overall.
However, there is one factor here that you might want to consider. The cost of entertainment may not be overly expensive, but it borders on being expensive.
It is only 1% cheaper than the national average. However, comparing Indianapolis with the rest of the state, the city is already 2.3% more expensive. And it could go up in the next few years.
Why work in Indianapolis? Great Place to Get Employed
Indianapolis is a great place to work in. One of the many reasons for this is that the city has a low unemployment rate. Also, the city does not force its workforce to join a union, unlike in other states.
The Good Side
One of the things why you should work in Indianapolis, is its stable job market. There are many jobs here, and unemployment is low. Also, Indianapolis has a great working culture, an aspect you will rarely find in bigger cities.
Jobs in Abundance
Those who recently arrived in Indianapolis find it easy to find jobs here.
The city is home to three Fortune 500 companies. These companies include the health insurance giant Anthem Inc. The pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly is also in Indianapolis. And so is the country’s most influential real estate investment trust, Simon Property Group.
Aside from these three giants, about 90 other national companies call Indianapolis home.
Also, you will find that sports tourism is significant in the city.
Spread over about 560 acres in the western part of the city is a famous spot in Indianapolis, the Motor Speedway.
Here, you will see hundreds of thousands of people visit every May. The goal is to watch the most-attended sporting event in the country. This event is the Indianapolis 500, also known as Indy.
Aside from Indy, there are other sporting events like the Brickyard 400. The Men’s and Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournaments also happen here.
These sporting events and big conventions held at different venues in the city every year contribute significantly to the town. The jobs are always in abundance; the economy is always healthy.
Professionals with backgrounds in the healthcare and insurance industries will also fare well in Indianapolis. It is because Indianapolis is home to many healthcare, insurance, and pharmaceutical companies.
Most of these companies have their headquarters and regional offices here.
The logistics companies are also starting to trickle into the city. The city is home to the second-largest FedEx Express hub on the planet. Because of this, Indianapolis International Airport became busy.
As of this writing, it is the sixth busiest airport in the country for air cargo transport. As per the latest reports, it handles 1 million tons of cargo annually. It also employs thousands of residents.
Finally, professionals in the education industry will also do well in Indianapolis.
Indianapolis is home to hundreds of schools. It is also the home of many higher-education institutions like Ball State University, Marian University, Martin University, Butler University, Indiana University, and the Ivy Tech Community College.
Aside from these educational institutions, there are hundreds more that made Indianapolis their home.
The Ease of Finding Jobs
Some cities have an abundance of jobs. However, despite its abundance, there are cities where job seekers find it hard to apply for these jobs.
Indianapolis presents all the ease to its job seekers in finding these jobs.
You can start your job search online when you are new to the city. The employers in Indianapolis would always post and advertise vacancies on different portals like Linkedin or other recruiting sites.
In other cities, employers would rarely post vacancies online, relying on their recruitment teams to source for and process applications.
In Indianapolis, job searching is easy.
The city’s small-town feel is also advantageous, especially for job seekers.
As you already know, this is a tight-knit community. Being a tight-knit community allows its residents to create networks. Networks make it easier for job seekers to find jobs.
Here, an acquaintance of an acquaintance may be looking for somebody to work in their new office. With the proper network, you can easily find these jobs that suit you well.
The Work Culture
Like in any other city, work culture can be different.
In Indianapolis, the work culture depends on the industry and the company. Overall, work in Indianapolis comes at a slower pace than the notorious rat races of the cities on the East Coast. New York, for example, has an office culture that is fast-paced compared to Indianapolis.
The vibe at work here is more laid-back. Most companies campaign for work-life balance.
The workforce in the city is young. As such, one can expect a work culture of innovation and open-mindedness.
The Bad Side
And now, we will talk about a couple of things that should concern you in Indianapolis.
Indianapolis is not all roses and rainbows. I want to tell you about a couple of things before I allow you to finalize your decision.
Here they are.
Heavy is the Traffic
Most of the residents in Indianapolis will tell you that the traffic here is horrible.
Well, for starters, congestion may be subjective. It should especially be true during rush hours, holidays, or weekends. However, traffic here can be terrible for most of those who live in Indianapolis.
About 2.5 million people are trying to travel from one destination to another. And that can cause heavy traffic, rush hour or not. And even outside rush hour, the traffic here can still be severe.
If you are working in Indianapolis, the heavy traffic is something you have to consider.
What this means for you is that you have to leave your home early. You may also be arriving home late.
The Public Transportation Concern
One of the things you may ask is if Indianapolis has a public transportation system.
The answer is yes.
Indianapolis has a public transportation system. But the question here is whether it is an excellent transport system. It is not.
There are buses, but these buses are not enough to serve everyone who wants to go from Point A to Point B.
You may have to consider riding a cab once in a while. And when you work in Indianapolis, this should not be the cheaper way.
However, with the lack of an excellent and reliable public transport system, where do you go for a solution?
If you have a car, this should not be a problem. You will only worry about the heavy traffic. But if you do not have a car, better think again about whether Indianapolis is suitable for you or not.
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Overall, Indianapolis is a great place.
There may be concerns about the weather being too cold. There may be issues with the traffic and public transportation. However, Indianapolis is full of activities that could keep you occupied.
The city is full of jobs and has a low unemployment rate. Plus, the people here are friendly.
What more could you want?
Are you moving to Indianapolis anytime soon?
Do let me know.