Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well, after a few false starts, my husband finally got the green light for remote work, so we'll be relocating this spring. Yay!
Fort Wayne came up as I was searching for LCOL areas with a good quality of life. We're aiming to fly out there in a few weeks. It will be cold so it should be a good test.
My husband will be working from home, so I'm curious if or how often the power goes out during winter storms? Are there areas in the city where the infrastructure better handles storms and getting the power back running? (If that indeed happens?)
While we've lived with sporadic snow before, we've never lived in the east. How severe is winter there? How does it compare to when I see youtube videos of winter in Wyoming? (Weird source of reference, I know!)
Does the city clear the snow well? Are people out and about most days?
My uncle is trying to persuade us to move to Houston, but the extreme heat and humidity makes me nervous because my lungs probably wouldn't like it at all. (I have mild asthma which most of the time doesn't bother me)
On paper it looks like the heat and humidity in Fort Wayne is more manageable than the south? Speaking of air, how is it? Are air purifiers common in households?
Tap water ok, or are water filters advised?
I've heard the insect horror stories about the south. (Exaggerated?) What is the pest situation in Fort Worth?
Is it common to spray on Deet every day in summer?
Poisonous spiders? Cockroaches?
All of these things wouldn't neccessary be deterrents , just need to go in with eyes open and be prepared.
A little about us... empty nesters, we like easy bike paths in nice parks (saw some on a video!) Scenic drives, we cook mostly at home, but like a night out at the movies and dinner. If you have a symphony orchestra we'd love that. Interested in taking up ballroom dancing or even line dancing, (even if we're not big on country music but it looks fun.)
Hubby likes the occasional craft beer and I'd occasionally buy good coffee from a roaster.
We love mom and pop diners, for breakfasts and burgers.
Btw, how's the casual mexican take out? We're spoiled where we live.
That's all I can think of right now... if anyone could suggest neighborhoods a relatively safe neighborhood near basic amenities I'd appreciate it. We're looking to rent for now.
Snow doesn't knock out the power typically, it's the ICE!. This isn't usually a major issue. It probably happens rarely enough and for such a short time that you wouldn't notice too much of an impact. I think the one time I was in the Ft Wayne area and power was out they had it back on in about 6 hours at worst, might have been less but almost 15 years ago now that I don't remember officially. This could happen anywhere in the Midwest though and it really just depends on how much the power lines are being weighed down. I've seen brand new suburbs be out of power and inner city areas not (and vice versa) so that shouldn't be a deterrent. It's the same as a lightning strike knocking power out.
The winters in Indiana are typically pretty mild. I don't know that much about Wyoming, but pretty sure they get winters more on par with a Michigan or Wisconsin. Indiana doesn't get as cold or as much snow as those two states. We typically get 2 or 3 major winter storms with snow where schools have to delay or close, but most of the time it's such small amounts at a time that the DPW can clear most snow so you could get somewhere if you needed. With your husband working from home I don't think this will ever really impact you too badly.
Even though we probably don't get the heat of Houston, the humidity and allergies can still be pretty bad depending on what the allergies are for. I usually don't mind the summers here in Indiana nearly as much as most of the South where it just feels oppressive.
Bugs aren't terrible. Mosquitoes will be the biggest nuisance, but you can have exterminators "fog" your yard, put in citronella or tiki torches to help combat them. If it gets bad enough you can put the Deet on. Mostly mosquitoes will be close to lakes or standing water. If you are in a subdivision you'll deal with this less unless the subdivision has alot of ponds. We have spiders and other bugs, but most of them aren't anything to worry about.
Not knowing house budget and other things you prefer about a home or community I can't necessarily recommend specific subdivisions currently. Here's what I will say about the different parts of Ft Wayne. North and West sides (especially those areas outside of I-69) will be newer construction and typically more expensive homes (by Indiana standards). The older homes and cheaper will be inside of I-69. There will be pockets of older, but more expensive homes in clusters in certain parts of the city (such as around Foster Park), but typically they will be older and cheaper.
Compared to Indy and other big cities, Ft Wayne crime is really nothing in comparison, imo. Areas that are considered by people from Ft Wayne can be rough but nothing compared to big cities. I know when I was in that area everyone always said avoid Pontiac Street and surrounding area just south of downtown. I never had issues though. Again I think crime outside of theft is usually targeted at someone specific. I can't imagine you'd be dealing with that in Ft Wayne.
Overall, Ft Wayne has really good bones for a large, but not major city like a Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit, etc. They have an outstanding park and trail system. I honestly think their park system is much better compared to Indy. They also have a TON of festivals and things going on especially in warmer months. Downtown is trying to stay relevant and revitalized with things to do. If you want night out or shopping that will again be West or North (Jefferson Pointe or Glenbrooke Square). If you give us price range or other things you want in a home I can steer you towards specific neighborhoods. I know that you are empty nesters, so the schools and family neighborhoods probably don't impact you as much except for maybe resale.
Snow doesn't knock out the power typically, it's the ICE!. This isn't usually a major issue. It probably happens rarely enough and for such a short time that you wouldn't notice too much of an impact. I think the one time I was in the Ft Wayne area and power was out they had it back on in about 6 hours at worst, might have been less but almost 15 years ago now that I don't remember officially. This could happen anywhere in the Midwest though and it really just depends on how much the power lines are being weighed down. I've seen brand new suburbs be out of power and inner city areas not (and vice versa) so that shouldn't be a deterrent. It's the same as a lightning strike knocking power out.
The winters in Indiana are typically pretty mild. I don't know that much about Wyoming, but pretty sure they get winters more on par with a Michigan or Wisconsin. Indiana doesn't get as cold or as much snow as those two states. We typically get 2 or 3 major winter storms with snow where schools have to delay or close, but most of the time it's such small amounts at a time that the DPW can clear most snow so you could get somewhere if you needed. With your husband working from home I don't think this will ever really impact you too badly.
Even though we probably don't get the heat of Houston, the humidity and allergies can still be pretty bad depending on what the allergies are for. I usually don't mind the summers here in Indiana nearly as much as most of the South where it just feels oppressive.
Bugs aren't terrible. Mosquitoes will be the biggest nuisance, but you can have exterminators "fog" your yard, put in citronella or tiki torches to help combat them. If it gets bad enough you can put the Deet on. Mostly mosquitoes will be close to lakes or standing water. If you are in a subdivision you'll deal with this less unless the subdivision has alot of ponds. We have spiders and other bugs, but most of them aren't anything to worry about.
Not knowing house budget and other things you prefer about a home or community I can't necessarily recommend specific subdivisions currently. Here's what I will say about the different parts of Ft Wayne. North and West sides (especially those areas outside of I-69) will be newer construction and typically more expensive homes (by Indiana standards). The older homes and cheaper will be inside of I-69. There will be pockets of older, but more expensive homes in clusters in certain parts of the city (such as around Foster Park), but typically they will be older and cheaper.
Compared to Indy and other big cities, Ft Wayne crime is really nothing in comparison, imo. Areas that are considered by people from Ft Wayne can be rough but nothing compared to big cities. I know when I was in that area everyone always said avoid Pontiac Street and surrounding area just south of downtown. I never had issues though. Again I think crime outside of theft is usually targeted at someone specific. I can't imagine you'd be dealing with that in Ft Wayne.
Overall, Ft Wayne has really good bones for a large, but not major city like a Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit, etc. They have an outstanding park and trail system. I honestly think their park system is much better compared to Indy. They also have a TON of festivals and things going on especially in warmer months. Downtown is trying to stay relevant and revitalized with things to do. If you want night out or shopping that will again be West or North (Jefferson Pointe or Glenbrooke Square). If you give us price range or other things you want in a home I can steer you towards specific neighborhoods. I know that you are empty nesters, so the schools and family neighborhoods probably don't impact you as much except for maybe resale.
Thank you so much for your time!
Both hubs and I have general allergies like weeds, grass, dust and mold and have heard that the midwest could stir up trouble.
Hubby did allergy shots and it helped some. We both have "mild" asthma... usually Ia hit off the inhaler nips it and we both take a Loratadine (generic Claritin) every day. My asthma usually only gets really bad if I get sick. Just something we deal with.
We plan to rent a one bedroom apartment, and would like to stay under 800 per month if possible. We'd need quality enough with insulation for neighbor noise, so I'd want to avoid student housing where the parties are.
I don't expect complete silence with shared walls, but some places are better than others for sure.
From the looks of things over there, it might be possible to rent a small house?
Btw, we have no pets either if that helps.
Both hubs and I have general allergies like weeds, grass, dust and mold and have heard that the midwest could stir up trouble.
Hubby did allergy shots and it helped some. We both have "mild" asthma... usually Ia hit off the inhaler nips it and we both take a Loratadine (generic Claritin) every day. My asthma usually only gets really bad if I get sick. Just something we deal with.
We plan to rent a one bedroom apartment, and would like to stay under 800 per month if possible. We'd need quality enough with insulation for neighbor noise, so I'd want to avoid student housing where the parties are.
I don't expect complete silence with shared walls, but some places are better than others for sure.
From the looks of things over there, it might be possible to rent a small house?
Btw, we have no pets either if that helps.
Thanks again!
Plenty of apartments in and around Fort Wayne would fit that profile. $800/mo. for a one-bedroom is right on the edge of being a luxury apartment there. Plenty of teo-bedroom units in that range.
Housing is pretty reasonable, too, if you decide to buy a house there.
You will find many good restaurants in Fort Wayne and surrounding towns. We do have many Mexican restaurants, so I'm sure you'll find something you like.
Your husband won't have any trouble finding a good craft beer. Many places to choose from. Fort Wayne just has an abundance of restaurants and bars IMO.
Snow isn't an issue and winters have been pretty mild in recent years. Roads and businesses are cleared extremely fast in Fort Wayne. Some home subdivisions may take a few days to clear, but many of those areas hire their own plowers, and it's never been a problem. The snow can be handled, the occasional ice is worse, but again, it's handled very quickly.
Losing power has never been a big deal and I've lived in the Fort for 66 years. Again, the utility companies are quick to get everyone up and running.
Housing is very economical here. I live sw of downtown in the Aboite area, and I love it out here. Great shopping, restaurants, walking paths and the traffic isn't terrible. Yes, there are some expensive areas, but you can rent for what you want to pay. Honestly, there are many nice places to live in and around Fort Wayne, it just depends on what you like. Downtown is a great choice if you enjoy going to MANY festivals, ballgames, walking to restaurants, theaters, the Philharmonic and many fun things going on. Downtown Fort Wayne and the new riverfront are very nice.
I too have allergies but I don't have more problems here. We spray for mosquitoes because we live in a heavy wooded area. No issues with them since we spray.
I feel safe here. Murders usually happen between gang members in this town. My family works in law enforcement, so I could be more specific, but for a city this size, I feel it's pretty safe. No place is perfect and you always have to remember to lock your car and be aware of your surroundings. But, I feel like we're a friendly city and we have spent time in several areas of the country, and I think we're generally good people around here. Also, you'll be very close to some really nice lakes around here.
You will find many good restaurants in Fort Wayne and surrounding towns. We do have many Mexican restaurants, so I'm sure you'll find something you like.
Your husband won't have any trouble finding a good craft beer. Many places to choose from. Fort Wayne just has an abundance of restaurants and bars IMO.
Snow isn't an issue and winters have been pretty mild in recent years. Roads and businesses are cleared extremely fast in Fort Wayne. Some home subdivisions may take a few days to clear, but many of those areas hire their own plowers, and it's never been a problem. The snow can be handled, the occasional ice is worse, but again, it's handled very quickly.
Losing power has never been a big deal and I've lived in the Fort for 66 years. Again, the utility companies are quick to get everyone up and running.
Housing is very economical here. I live sw of downtown in the Aboite area, and I love it out here. Great shopping, restaurants, walking paths and the traffic isn't terrible. Yes, there are some expensive areas, but you can rent for what you want to pay. Honestly, there are many nice places to live in and around Fort Wayne, it just depends on what you like. Downtown is a great choice if you enjoy going to MANY festivals, ballgames, walking to restaurants, theaters, the Philharmonic and many fun things going on. Downtown Fort Wayne and the new riverfront are very nice.
I too have allergies but I don't have more problems here. We spray for mosquitoes because we live in a heavy wooded area. No issues with them since we spray.
I feel safe here. Murders usually happen between gang members in this town. My family works in law enforcement, so I could be more specific, but for a city this size, I feel it's pretty safe. No place is perfect and you always have to remember to lock your car and be aware of your surroundings. But, I feel like we're a friendly city and we have spent time in several areas of the country, and I think we're generally good people around here. Also, you'll be very close to some really nice lakes around here.
Thank you Coco Kay for the positive info! Geesh, my hubby mentioned Indiana to a coworker who grew up in the state and she was very, shall we say, not enthused. This does not deter me, as it all depends on what one wants out of life and what the goals are.
Plenty of apartments in and around Fort Wayne would fit that profile. $800/mo. for a one-bedroom is right on the edge of being a luxury apartment there. Plenty of teo-bedroom units in that range.
Housing is pretty reasonable, too, if you decide to buy a house there.
That's pretty mind boggling. We're so broke from living out here, and our rent went up 150 bucks.
How are the taxes? Some people tell us to move to a state with no income tax. Florida and Texas are out because I'd rather deal with snow than the dew point over there as it's way worse than Fort Wayne!
We've also considered Rapid City, SD... no income tax, love the Black Hills, but I dunno... might be too isolated. The next big city is a 6 hour drive to Denver. I hear you can take a 3 hour train to Chicago from Fort Wayne?
That's pretty mind boggling. We're so broke from living out here, and our rent went up 150 bucks.
How are the taxes? Some people tell us to move to a state with no income tax. Florida and Texas are out because I'd rather deal with snow than the dew point over there as it's way worse than Fort Wayne!
We've also considered Rapid City, SD... no income tax, love the Black Hills, but I dunno... might be too isolated. The next big city is a 6 hour drive to Denver. I hear you can take a 3 hour train to Chicago from Fort Wayne?
Now I'm craving Lou Mulnati's deep dish pizza!
You can take Amtrak to Chicago but it runs through Waterloo, a small town about 30 minutes north of Fort Wayne. The Capital Limited and the Lake Shore Limited both stop daily here and it is a bit over a 3 hour trip barring no delays. Just do remember that Amtrak is notorious for delays. For instance, 3 nights ago the Capital Limited was almost 4 hours late arriving in Waterloo from Chicago. Amtrak is usually pretty good, though, about posting train status on their website. So you'd just need to check that before you left. Both stop early morning in Waterloo on the way to Chicago. The Capital Limited lives Chicago late afternoon usually getting to Waterloo around 10 or so at night. The Lake Shore Limited on the way east doesn't come through Waterloo until 1 or 2 in the morning. For their part, the station in Waterloo has been greatly improved in recent years. It literally used to just be parking in a grass/gravel lot and waiting on the side of the tracks with a bus shelter type place if you needed to get out of the rain. They actually have a station building, platform, and paved parking area now.
That's pretty mind boggling. We're so broke from living out here, and our rent went up 150 bucks.
How are the taxes? Some people tell us to move to a state with no income tax. Florida and Texas are out because I'd rather deal with snow than the dew point over there as it's way worse than Fort Wayne!
We've also considered Rapid City, SD... no income tax, love the Black Hills, but I dunno... might be too isolated. The next big city is a 6 hour drive to Denver. I hear you can take a 3 hour train to Chicago from Fort Wayne?
Now I'm craving Lou Mulnati's deep dish pizza!
Even though you have income taxes here, typically the costs in other areas like home price and even property taxes are low enough that it will pretty much be a wash with states that have no income tax. Home prices in Florida and even some parts of Texas can be crazy because it's already so developed that there isn't anywhere to expand into.
There will be plenty of homes to rent for the prices you mentioned. There are also many options apartment wise that should fall in your price point.
People typically claim that in comparison to other places that Indiana is "boring." Part of the reason, not the only one though, Indianapolis got the nickname "Nap Town" was it was viewed as boring. As you said, depending on what you want out of life some people love it and are fine with living in Indiana. Others can't stand it and want the faster paced options that cities like LA, Chicago and other offer. Some people don't like how flat Indiana is in comparison to Colorado and other places. No there won't be as much outdoor activities like in some of those states, but you can still find plenty of hiking, boating, fishing, and other outdoor activities if you want. Our weather is not for everyone with SAD definitely playing a part in December-February. So that may be part of the looks you get.
The nice thing with Fort Wayne and Indy area is how close to so many other cities you are. You can be in Detroit, Chicago, St Louis, Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and others in less than a day of driving. Many flights out of Ft. Wayne can get you to those cities in about an hour. Trains run to these locations too. I know my BIL took a train ride from Ft. Wayne for a Cubs game and back in the same day when he was younger. So if Ft Wayne or Indiana doesn't have what you want you can always easily escape to other places for the weekend. From where I live to almost the UP (Michigan) is about 7 hours. My ILs have a house near there and we can be skiing, tubing, or doing other activities that same day if we leave early enough in the day.
I was born in the early 50s and raised in central Indiana but moved to Fort Wayne in 1979 and lived there 34 years. I preferred living in Fort Wayne because it was big enough to provide jobs and yet the cost of living was more reasonable than the Indianapolis area. I moved to southwest Florida in 2013 and I can tell you for certain that the summers are much hotter than they were in Fort Wayne. I never knew what dew point meant until I came to Florida but I'll tell you that, in short, the higher the dew point the more miserable you will be. Dew point here in summer averages between 75 to 80 and that is off the charts miserable. Our AC runs continuously from June to November. I rarely turned my AC on in Fort Wayne.
I concur with other posters about mosquitoes. Actually, I found mosquitoes worse in Indiana because they do an effective job spraying for them in my area in Florida. The mosquitoes in Fort Wayne would come out about dusk and be the worst at that time. I never noticed them much in daylight hours. Depends on where you live I suppose. I didn't live near any standing water so I had relatively few mosquitoes.
There are threads on the Indiana forum complaining about how backwards Indiana is. I read them and had to laugh. IMHO Indiana is a great place to grow up and raise a family. I went to school in Pendleton (near Indy) and my education there was very good. I went to college in Fort Wayne at the Indiana-Purdue University extension and I had no trouble finding work after graduation. I believe that Indiana University has left Fort Wayne but Purdue is still there. Fort Wayne has other colleges like St.Francis and I believe Indiana Wesleyan is there too. Indiana Vocational Technical College (Ivy Tech) is also located in Fort Wayne. Notre Dame is located in South Bend about 90 .minutes or so from Fort Wayne and there are other great colleges like Ball State and Hanover that are located in Indiana. Indiana may not be Ivy League but you can get a decent education leading to a good job in Indiana. Indiana isn't as backwards as many people think.
Many people who are from more scenic areas of the country might find Indiana and Fort Wayne boring. Certainly the state has no oceans or mountains but it's not entirely without beauty. The southern part of Indiana is hilly but central and northern indiana is pretty flat. The rivers aren't large in most of Indiana and might seem like creeks to someone who is from a state that has large rivers. The Ohio River is the largest River in Indiana and it's quite a long way from Fort Wayne. Lake Michigan does border Indiana but it's up closer to the Chicago area. Fort Wayne isn't far from what is known as the lakes area of northeast Indiana. Homes are pricey on most lakes but they are located within an hour drive of the city. Pokagon State Park is nice and is located about 45 minutes north.
Fort Wayne has a semi professional hockey team and a semi pro baseball team. The baseball park is fairly new and is located downtown. The hockey team plays at the Memorial Coliseum located in the northeast part of the city. Many events are held there. Fort Wayne also has a bike/ walking trail that runs throughout the city known as the River Greenway. Fort Wayne has many nice parks and golf courses. I used to go to Foster Park several times each year and there are some nice flower gardens and a golf course located there. The Fort Wayne Childrens Zoo is nice and is located at Franke Park on the northwest side of Fort Wayne. The Zoo is open year around I believe.
Some Hoosiers may relocate to orher states but most people who are born in Indiana stay in Indiana. They tend to be very family oriented and life tends to revolve around children's sports such as soccer, baseball, basketball and football. People moving from other states may have a hard time fitting into that especially single people. Fort Wayne also has many churches and tends to be a conservative area. Fort Wayne has had Democrat mayors but the area tends to vote Republican on the Federal level. I'm not political but I never felt threatened by either Democrats or Republicans. As I said, I grew up and lived in Indiana most of my life so I guess I'm used to the lifestyle there. I've lived in Florida for 7 years and have found it easier to fit in here but that's mainly because I'm older and I'm single. There are many old single people here, far more than there were in Fort Wayne.
Other posters have described the winters in Fort Wayne and they are correct that ice will cause most power outages and the outages won't last long. Fort Wayne does get ice storms but they aren't frequent. The city is located in an area that gets lake effect snow from the Great Lakes so it will usually snow more than areas farther south. When I lived in central Indiana we had more ice storms than Fort Wayne. Cold weather usually sets in in late October or early November and can last into late April and early May. Springtime is wet but temps are mild. Fall is, IMO, glorious in Fort Wayne. There are lots of hardwood trees that provide beautiful Fall colors. Temperatures are perfect then.
You won't beat the overall cost of living in Fort Wayne. I sold a nice 20 year old 1200 sq ft. home in a nice neighborhood for $110,000 there in 2011. I rented a nice 1 bedroom apartment for $550 a month in 2012-13. I recently bought a 20 year old home here in southwest Florida for $289,900. A 1 bedroom apartment in my city runs $1300 on up (if you can find one). $289,000 will buy you a damn nice home with acreage in the Fort Wayne area and $1300 will rent you a super luxury apartment in Fort Wayne. The relatively low Cost of Living is why it is hard for a Hoosier to relocate outside the state. In my current area the majority of new residents are from New York, Boston or Toronto. They are used to high prices and they bring tons of equity with them to buy new homes. They think nothing of spending $400,000 for a house. I moved to Florida with $110k to buy a home here. My house was paid for in Indiana so it was definitely harder for me to get started here in Florida. I doubt the OP will have trouble getting started in Fort Wayne. You cannot beat the overall cost of living in Fort Wayne. Even if you factor in state and county income taxes it was still far less expensive for me to live in Fort Wayne than it has been for me in the no income tax state of Florida. Everything costs more here. OP will probably be financially better off if they stay in Fort Wayne long enough.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) 
