Living in Indiana (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Muncie: low income, sales, real estate)

[janedoe1972]

So, I lived in Oklahoma from birth to age 40, then moved to Indiana (Fort Wayne) in 2012. I know that every state has their problems, but I am particularly impressed with the following:
-- No taxes on groceries
-- Good schools
-- Friendly people
-- Low flat state tax
-- Healthy Indiana Plan
-- Very competent state gov't (esp re: budgets)
-- Fabulous summers (once you get through the frigid winters
-- Lots of mom-and-pop restaurants
-- Nice parks
-- Lots of things for my son to do
-- Low cost of living

My boyfriend (who was born and raised in Fort Wayne) thinks that I am a little weird for really liking Indiana...He says it's because I am an outsider. Is he right or am I, or a little of both?

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Indiana has always had sort of an inferiority complex, wrongly thinking just about every other state is more exotic or more exciting or more desireable, or prettier, or has better weather, or just somehow is better than Indiana. Hoosiers in general, love Indiana with all their hearts but its hard for them to imagine that anybody who is not from Indiana could possibly like Indiana enough to consider it their personal favorite state.

[ischyros]

Everywhere I've lived, the grass is always greener. I grew up in a small town in northern Indiana. Spent a couple years in Fort Wayne, a couple years in Mishawaka, a year in California, and a year in Oklahoma. Now living in Fishers, IN. Everywhere I've lived I found people that couldn't wait to get out. I really enjoyed Fort Wayne the 2 years I spent there. I got out and experienced all there was to do, went to the festivals, etc. But still met many people that couldn't wait to live that "boring" city.

[Serious Conversation]

Being from Tennessee, one thing I immediately noticed (and now notice every time I go to the grocery store) is how cheap groceries are in Indiana. Here, a gallon of basic store brand milk will set you back $4. In Indianapolis, I could routinely find milk for a $1.50. A dozen eggs are over $2 here. In Indy, they're usually under a dollar. This doesn't seem like much, but over the course of a month and across all items, it is well over $100/month just in increased grocery bills here in TN. Combine the reduced grocery prices and no grocery tax (we pay 5.5% sales tax on food), it really helps low income people get by.

The state government is well managed, but I paid a lot more in state and local taxes than I ever have in TN. Hamilton County's local government is great and I didn't mind paying the 1% income tax to the county, but sending ~3.5% to the state government was always a sore spot for me. Car registration fees, local property taxes, virtually every other tax or fee other than sales tax was more than in TN.

People probably forget this and it may seem stupid, but I think Meijer is a huge benefit to Midwestern residents, and it definitely puts a check on Walmart and local stores to keep prices down. I lived in Carmel. Within five minutes of my residence, I had a Meijer, Target, Super Walmart, and about six different grocers close by. Here, we have one dumpy Kroger, one small Target, Walmart, and a couple of stores of a regional grocer around. Consumer prices on virtually any item are expensive, much more than in Indiana.

[Zig'sbird]

Personally I've found that the people who are always miserable and can't wait to move somewhere else typically have not traveled or lived any where else.

After all, how can you appreciate what you have if you've never known anything else.

[sheerbliss]

JaneDoe1972, I can relate. I'm from Denver and moved to Indianapolis a year and a half ago. I love it here.

* Almost everything is cheaper here--especially housing.
* It's green and lush with forests within the city limits.
* Beautiful historic architecture.
* The people are friendly.
* Traffic is light.
* It's close to other places to visit (Chicago, the beach at Lake Michigan, Louisville, etc.).
* I can be in the sunshine without getting an eye headache or feeling like I'm roasting.
* I have a nicer house than I ever could have afforded in Denver.
* There's plenty to do here, contrary to popular belief.

For all that, I agree with Indiana having an inferiority complex.

[Rbbi1]

I was born and raised and grew up mostly in beautiful southern Indiana. I have lived in mid eastern Indiana for decades. There IS a difference in the part of Indiana you live in, both in the friendliness of the residents, in crime statistics, in the cleanliness, beautification and upkeep of their towns, and in the types of activities that one has exposure to. Fortunately, it's only about an hour drive for me to Indy, Muncie, Dayton, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio, so that opens up a lot of vistas not as accessible to some and that makes a difference. But all things considered, southern Indiana I believe is the best all around to raise a family, if I were going to do it all over again. Indiana is definitely a lot better than some of the other States, but if you haven't been anywhere else and LIVED anywhere else for a time, you don't realize it.

[CGab]

I was born and raised in Illinois and moved our family to NW Indiana last summer for the very reasons the OP stated. Many of my neighbors have moved here from other states as well not just Illinois, but Arkansas, Michigan, Ohio, etc. I wish we had moved here sooner!

[VexedAndSolitary]

Another happy transplant here.

I LOVE IND and so wish I'd moved here decades ago.

I am in Fort Wayne and it has everything I need, I live in a beautiful neighborhood (Brookview) close to everything, the real estate prices are mindblowingly LOW, from my perspective as a native NYer who lived 23 yrs in SoFl and knows what high RE prices are.

I kinda like to pretend I am a native Hoosier I love it that much.

I HATED NC, (3 yrs there) omg what a miserable state.

IND is great for the family oriented, budgetminded who do not need a ton of fancy places/entertainment; it's simple, old school Americana. I am an old bag but my 18 y/o who moved here with me loves it as well!

[indy_317]

Originally Posted by OverItAll

Another happy transplant here. ... I LOVE IND and so wish I'd moved here decades ago. ... I HATED NC, (3 yrs there) omg what a miserable state.

IND is great for the family oriented, budgetminded who do not need a ton of fancy places/entertainment; it's simple, old school Americana. I am an old bag but my 18 y/o who moved here with me loves it as well!

I think a place a person picks to live will mostly depend on their income and their lifestyle. It is funny that you love IND, but yet I know of three medical professionals who decided to move to NC, which you hated. Two were moving to larger metro areas, another one said they were heading to the Asheville area. I think two of them said they grew up in Indiana. I have no hate for IND, but I do wonder what life would've been like had I been brave and driven enough to move, at least during my youth. One of my biggest regrets in life.