It seems many of you do not like living in IN. Would you lump Bloomington into the same category? (Indianapolis: rental, crime)

[carolync]

Originally Posted by carolync

Also our minimum wage is $8.50, but the cost of living is much higher, a few cities actually have a $10.00 living wage....

oops my bad, CA state minimum wage is $8.00 I live in Santa Cruz where the city minimum wage is $8.50....

[tallguy924]

i live in columbus and ive visited IU several times. just coming in on 46 and goin to the IU campus, it is really hard to believe the 36% poverty level and the $22,000 income rates. the houses are really nice and beautiful. it is still really hard to belive all this poverty levels its talking about. allthough ive only been on the northeast side of town. But looking at the house prises vs. income ratio, im glad im in columbus by far.

[grace007]

I looked on the website and noticed that the African-American population in Bloomington was only 4% compared to about 23% where I live now. I hope no one takes offensive, but I do want to ask this question because I am from the south and have experienced some unpleasant treatment based on race. Does anyone know what race relations are like in Bloomington?

[domergurl]

I don't want to come off as smug, but chances are you'll get one of 2 answers in either extreme. Bloomington, since IU is located there, tends to fall in on the liberal side of the coin. I wouldn't let the race statistic scare you away at all.

[grace007]

Thanks. It was just a little concerned since I've never been there. I am an older student planning on attending graduate school there. I hope to visit in a few months and I wanted on idea of the community was like.

[rrah]

Graduate student--you should not have any problems.

[Godsdove]

I was born and raised in Bloomington. Lived there until my 36th birthday when we moved to TN because my husband got a better job.

Anyway...I didn't read the entire thread....seven pages...sorry...but I honestly never felt out of place as a single person or as a married person in Indiana....

And race relations...at least in Bloomington are pretty good. Because it is a college town there are so many different races and ethnicities there.....I was always exposed to different races and ethnicities. Now...of course...there are still outlying areas where there isn't as much exposure, and so you still have people that don't believe in diversity...but sadly, that could happen anywhere....but as a whole I think Bloomington is extremely diverse.

[tooningBlom]

Originally Posted by Colts

I'm not saying Bloomington is not a nice place to live--it surely is, but it isn't anything special compared to most other mid-sized college towns.

What irritates me is this sort of smug superiority complex that only people connected to Bloomington/IU seem to exhibit. They think that their city is on its own pedestal compared to everywhere else, and it really isn't. I would agree that the city is nicer than most places in Indiana but only because it is a college town. Of course it isn't overrun with rednecks and white trash either, but they do in fact live there.

Outside of the school's reach Bloomington is similar to most Indiana towns. This is all I'm saying. It's just funny how some people would like me to think otherwise.

gotcha! Bloomigton's nice and all, but it's an Indiana town. I like Indy better, but I can't afford to live up there. There is a sense of smuggery and complacency -- AKA "Bloominated" -- that bothers me, too. I'm a townie, though. I don't have the brains to be a student at that nice looking limestone campus. I'd rather work than go to school anyway. I have my kicks in Bloomington, though and sometimes this town is hillarious. Come on guys, geeeeeze! Don't be so smug and arrogant -- you're in Indiana not San Fran or NYC! Get real! -- I feel like saying.

[tooningBlom]

Originally Posted by gimme it

Or does Bloomington offer something more special than the rest of the state?

No No No Please don't take offense. I'm only in Bloomington because I got a good job here after I got laid-off in Ft. Wayne. I miss northern Indiana -- Ft. Wayne, South Bend, Elkhart, Gary -- sooooooo much! Yeah, it's flat, cold and has some economic hardships right now, but as soon as things turn around, I'm going back up north. Bloomington is OK, I guess, but it's boring and townish, way too country and Kentucky-ish for me. Go to Indy -- now that's a nice city. I spend a lot of time there when I get the chance. Indiana's a nice state, don't let people tell you Bloomington is the best place in Indiana because if that were true, I'd hate Indiana.

[snowball42]

I grew up in Indiana and have lived here for 40 years (aside from a 2-year stay in Ohio). Wages are nearly non-existent in Indiana. Sure, the records and stats say all kinds of things but the bottom line is that there's NO money. About the only jobs are part-time and offer no insurance. The cost of housing is WAY out of line with the income. --Especially in Bloomington (where I live). The Bloomington local community is an impoverished artist community. Hard working folks. The student population is primarily over-privileged with high demands of the local community. The pay in Bloomington in 2009 is about 70% less than in 1994 and the housing is more that double the price. Some say that Bloomington is a good place to bicycle because of the Little 500 being held here but it's actually a very dangerous place to ride. Many hills, narrow roads, hidden drives, etc. Don't really know why anyone would come here if they weren't from. Indiana has no labor laws and there's no pay - not even on "pay-day" because Indiana laws don't require employers to pay on time.