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I find that people in Indianapolis want something to do within a mile.
This seems to be about right. It seems that most of the complainers don't understand that the "big" Indiana cities are not NYC. You're not going to walk a block and have 20 restaurants open at 4am anywhere in Indiana. Now I'm wondering if the NYC forum has people in there complaining that there's nothing to do too...
As far as being more willing to drive more, I was born and raised in the city 5 minutes away from anything I would ever want. I spent over 20 years living within 10 minutes of the hospital I was born in. As I've gotten older either I've changed or the people have and I want less and less to do with that environment. Probably some of both.
I find that people in Indianapolis want something to do within a mile. A bunch of my neighbors complained bitterly about the condition of the neighborhood Kroger (it really was bad) instead of going two miles down the road to the next one, which is a nice store. People from rural Indiana don't seem to mind driving longer distances.
Even in a city with a lot of traffic, you can spend 45 minutes getting somewhere. Once when I was working in downtown Denver, my parents needed me. Getting to their house out in the suburbs through rush-hour traffic took an hour and a half.
OP may have moved on but I’ve seen this too. I’m from a place two hours from the nearest Costco or Whole Foods. The college town has a good bit going on for a city its size, but nothing like a major city. People will say Carmel or such is boring, but there is really a lot going on there.
Serious outdoor stuff is a little tough to come by, but indoors stuff and milder fare is in abundance.
OP may have moved on but I’ve seen this too. I’m from a place two hours from the nearest Costco or Whole Foods. The college town has a good bit going on for a city its size, but nothing like a major city. People will say Carmel or such is boring, but there is really a lot going on there.
Serious outdoor stuff is a little tough to come by, but indoors stuff and milder fare is in abundance.
Haven't moved on, sorry for the late reply! I've been quite busy this weekend. And I was hoping to craft thoughtful responses to everyone's points & contributions.
Regardless, please feel free to have any conversations with other users, even if it's not directly responding to one of my inquiries. I enjoy watching conversations evolve organically, and there's insight regarding what you guys are saying about Indianapolis//Indiana in general.
I've only skimmed this thread, but judging from the high points I've gathered I'm not positive that you really want to be in the city proper, in any city. Carmel and similar areas are exceptionally nice (I have family in Carmel and enjoy spending time there), but they're vastly more politically blue than the rest of the state and the state legislature has specifically had to act to keep Indianapolis and the surrounding areas from enacting their own gun laws that would diminish your rights (which now no city in Indiana can...). To me, that is more or less a "keep out" sign for guys like me who place a very high value on such things. Knowing that my neighbors would outlaw me if they could isn't a comforting notion...
Personally, I'd also like to be in the greater Indianapolis area just for the job market, but I plan to buy property out in the county somewhere where I won't be bothering anyone with my redneck ways, nor will anyone be around to bother me. The very nice thing is that's attainable for a working professional pretty much anywhere in Indiana. You can buy a palace on multiple acres for under $500k and in some places vastly less than that.
As far as our gun laws, I consider them to be just about the best in the nation as I personally consider licensing individuals to carry a hand gun a good thing, and am generally not in favor of constitutional carry (which we don't have and some people want) as that burdens LEO resources needlessly (is this guy with a gun actually not an excluded person on first contact? My gun permit eases that situation... although Indiana has no duty to inform an officer of said firearm, you're wise to do it), but Indiana has made that process as painless as possible. You spend about $150 getting finger printed at the police station or court house, send your applications to the state police and FBI, wait a few weeks, and your LIFETIME permit shows up in the mail. As long as you don't do anything to lose your rights in court, you're good to go on that until death. We also somewhat recently enacted legislation that your employer cannot bar you from storing a handgun in your locked vehicle on their property. So, drop a pistol vault in your car, get your carry permit, and you can pretty much stay armed 100% of the time you're not physically at work. "Gun Free Zones" carry no weight of law in Indiana so do as you please unless asked to leave. Our permits also don't specify concealed or conspicuous carry so you're free to do as you wish (I personally feel that CCW is the way to go, but with our laws if your jacket goes up over your holster at a gas station or riding your bike or whatever you haven't committed a crime, though you may freak some people out). We also recently legalized all classes of Title 2 weapons. SBR, SBS (was not permitted until recently), DDs, silencers, AOWs, etc. Outside of constitutional carry, we have it all. Whether or not you want to do any of the things I've outlined above is outside of the point that the state is friendly to them, so generally speaking, owning some property and shooting at paper isn't going to be a problem for you here. Odds are good you won't be alone in that if you're out in the sticks.
Anyhow... You have a lot of variables in play here, but those are my opinions on a couple of your topics. I've had the opportunity to leave Indiana many times, and have twice, and I have no desire to do so again. As others have said, we're pretty much a live and let live society around here and if you don't go looking for problems you're not likely to find them in most places. We are also generally a pretty quiet place to be, which is one of the main things people complain about ("there's nothing to do!!!"). I personally enjoy that about the majority of Indiana as I'm a homebody anyhow. If we had more things to do more easily, people would be there doing them, therefore there would be less space for me to do what I want to do without those people. Plus you're pretty easily situated anywhere in the state from a variety of major cities. You've got Indy, Chicago, Louisville, Columbus, Cincinnati, Detroit (ehhhh), etc, etc if you want to go get some big city culture on the weekends. If you want to travel by air, all of those cities will support that nicely as well so you're really only ever about 2 hours away from flying direct to just about anywhere.
I will admit I am a bit confused by some points you've made. Specifically, in that areas like Carmel/Fishers are politically blue. From my research, both areas (and similar nearby communities like Noblesville) are in Hamilton County: which has voted overwhelmingly Republican in every Presidential election since 1912 (and that was a huge outlier election where the Republican vote was tightly split between Roosevelt and Taft, effectively handing Wilson the victory). Additionally, Hamilton county's political representation is also overwhelmingly Republican: their U.S congressional district (5th district) is held by Susan Brooks, a Republican, and the seat has been held by Republicans since 1993 with a current partisan cook rating of R+9 (not the strongest rating, but rather solid). The State Representative (Jerry Torr; IN-39) who represents the majority of the county (all of the cities I've mentioned/am interested in) is also a Republican, as are the State Senators: Michael Delph; IN-29. or John Ruckelsahus (IN-30).
To sum up on that point; it's confusing to hear that these areas are politically blue; considering every aspect of their political representation is red and has been red for decades.
Now I'm very aware that suburban Republicans are considerably different than rural Republicans. They are moderate, more of the center-right wing of the party cut from the cloth of Dwight Eisenhower, Nelson Rockefeller, and perhaps the most accurate modern representation: Mitt Romney (you'll note that Romney did exceptionally well in suburbs all across the country in 2012). I also know this from personal experience in my visits to suburban areas and conversing with the locals. They have nuanced differences from staunch conservatives, but the ideological framework is consistent: with free market-laissez faire capitalism & civil liberties being at the forefront of their policies. To that end, I am in sync with these constituents, and should have no trouble representing them politically in an elected capacity.
Now to sum up THAT ^ point; I know that suburban Republicans are considerably more moderate, and Indianapolis as all big cities is as blue as it gets, but I wonder just how blue places like Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, and Noblesville are.
Just a side note; I am personally for constitutional carry. I think it's ridiculous that you have to pay a fee, get fingerprinted, and apply for a permit to exercise a constitutional right. Thankfully, Indiana is a shall-issue state in regards to pistol permits, so that's a relief. It's not that big of a deal truthfully, considering I'm from NYC and you wouldn't believe the hoops you have to go through just to exercise some VERY basic constitutional rights. I'm used to the whole application process. So while I do disagree with the policy on an ideological level, it's not that big a deal to me. Just an annoyance.
Nevertheless I do love how gun friendly Indiana appears to be. Had a big old smile plastered across my face when I read what you wrote regarding the legislature stepping in to protect the civil liberties of the residents. God bless!
Final comment I'll make is in regards to living suburban vs rural; I feel living in a suburb would be best during my professional/parenting years. A nice, controlled environment with plenty of opportunities to get involved with a community and be within a decent driving distance for any extravaganzas. I figure living in a rural area, if I'd ever decide on doing that, would probably suit me when the kiddos are grown up and I'm retired. You know, that whole "quiet patch of land to retire on" cliche.
Last edited by MillennialMaverick; 03-25-2018 at 11:41 PM..
I was thinking OP would need a fiancee with a heck of a dowry. Repairs and maintenance alone on a half-million dollar house will average $5,000 a year. Working around successful people is great, but living around people who make a lot more money--who are driving nicer cars, taking fancier and more vacations, belong to clubs with a five-figure entry fee--can leave you feeling like you can't keep up with the Joneses. Kids especially may feel like they don't fit in.
The "nothing to do here" complaint bothers me. Where I grew up (suburban boonies of Denver), there really wasn't anything to do. There was a pool nearby (I don't like pools) and a stable (I didn't have a horse), but that was it. No kids my age, no playground (that wasn't creepy), nothing within walking distance, no public transportation, nothing. So it really annoys me when a grown man or woman with a car in Indianapolis can drive to the movies, a club, a park, a museum, go see a national act, go see a local act, go out to eat, go to a fair, go dancing, go shopping, go kayaking, go to the caves, go to the lake, but goes online and whines like a little kid that there's nothing to do.
Hey now, maybe that's exactly what I'll be looking for . I do want to clarify something though, seeing as you're not the only one to make such a comment. The examples I shared, and have talked about, regarding homes between 400k-500k is the end goal--not the initial goal. I am fine slogging it out with a lower quality, smaller home until the time is prudent to make such a transition.
I am a strong believer in not making purchases on things I don't need. Obviously I'd only consider a 3-4 bedroom home if&when I have family that fits that size demand. Additionally, no matter what my financial future is, I really don't see myself living in or justifying the purchase of a home over 500k. It would just be excessive at that point, completely unnecessary.
In regards to salary, like I've mentioned before I'm not too sure about Indiana because I've read that they're implementing merit pay, but if the income hikes are similar to those in other states, I could be making anywhere between 50k-85k a year during my career as a teacher. That, in addition to whatever salary my wife would earn, I'm certain would be able to afford a home between 300k-500k. Some homes might be pushing it, so I'll have to look out for that, but generally I think it'd be alright. Tight, but alright. And who knows, if I actually achieve my dream and find myself successful electorally, I could be making 174K a year. Wouldn't be necessary for the wife to work at that point (God willing) and affording such a home should be considerably easier.
Futhermore I do not care at all for the whole "keeping up with joneses" culture and lifestyle. Really, I just don't give a damn lol. I know where my priorities lie, what's truly important to me and what my values are. I couldn't care less knowing I have the smallest house on the block or am the only guy leasing his car. I'm just happy to be blessed enough have a house, a car, and live in a nice community. If I do a semi-decent job at being a father, then my kids will have these same values imparted onto them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Max_is_here
Just to add some reference to my comment on that, all of those things are either in "the big city" or generally far away from where most people live. The vast majority of Indiana is not Indianapolis, which is where I was actually trying to steer the OP away from due to some of his interests.
Like all things, nothing is set in stone and my opinion is only my own, but that's where I was headed with my "nothing to do here!" comment. Out in the corn fields, there really isn't.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Max_is_here
I strongly agree with you on that and that's one of the great many things I like about Indiana. I can be out in the sticks and own property fairly affordably and then jet off to where ever I may desire within a couple of hours drive.
The people that complain about "nothing to do" seemingly want to go to a 5 star restaurant and see an off Broadway show every Tuesday night and you're just not going to get that in 99% of the state. Really, in a large swath of the state, you're driving 45 minutes just to get to a movie theater. All of that suits me personally just fine. I don't mind driving an hour on Friday night for this or that so I can have my space and peace all of the other nights of the week while the hustle and bustle is somewhere else. The trick is to balance that with your daily commute to where ever your job is or is likely to be in the future.
So, I'm not sure what OP prefers, but my bigger point was to simply show that as an option. Carmel is nice and I like the area, but that's not what I personally want in the long run in no small part because I have similar interests to OP. Carmel also isn't really that far from "the sticks" so there's probably a balance to be had in that area as well.
Well I'd like to state that I am not cut from the same cloth as people who complain that they are bored, wherever they may be. It's up to the individual to take charge and decide just how invested they are in going out and doing something they enjoy. Heck, at times I find myself being bored in bustling NYC because of how few people here share in my interests. I spent part of my weekend meeting some buddies in Long Island to shoot some targets. It was both an investment of time and money, considering I don't live in the area, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
The only reason I am considering suburbs near Indianapolis, or suburbs near the capitol of any state I check out, is the consideration of work--particularly that within the political realm. I think you and I are more in sync politically than I would be with the constituents in those suburbs, but such is the sacrifice of living close to the capitol in a controlled environment. It's not ideal, but it'd be silly not to consider.
That said I am definitely open minded to living in a community representing a more rural environment, as long as the drive to the capitol isn't too brutal. I can definitely see the financial pros to such a scenario, among other pros. If you have any suggestions of areas to check out, I would love to hear them. I feel confident in anything you suggest, seeing as you seem to understand my interests well.
Last edited by MillennialMaverick; 03-25-2018 at 11:45 PM..
Hamilton County is red. Marion County (basically Indy) is purplish-blue.
There's a place somewhere on this site where you can see incomes in various census tracts. That would give you an idea of where people making about a teacher's salary live. That's around what I make--with no debt or kids--and I live in a two-bedroom house in Little Flower, Indianapolis. People are frugal in Indy.
I will admit I am a bit confused by some points you've made. Specifically, in that areas like Carmel/Fishers are politically blue. From my research, both areas (and similar nearby communities like Noblesville) are in Hamilton County: which has voted overwhelmingly Republican in every Presidential election since 1912 (and that was a huge outlier election where the Republican vote was tightly split between Roosevelt and Taft, effectively handing Wilson the victory). Additionally, Hamilton county's political representation is also overwhelmingly Republican: their U.S congressional district (5th district) is held by Susan Brooks, a Republican, and the seat has been held by Republicans since 1993 with a current partisan cook rating of R+9 (not the strongest rating, but rather solid). The State Representative (Jerry Torr; IN-39) who represents the majority of the county (all of the cities I've mentioned/am interested in) is also a Republican, as are the State Senators: Michael Delph; IN-29. or John Ruckelsahus (IN-30).
To sum up on that point; it's confusing to hear that these areas are politically blue; considering every aspect of their political representation is red and has been red for decades.
Now I'm very aware that suburban Republicans are considerably different than rural Republicans. They are moderate, more of the center-right wing of the party cut from the cloth of Dwight Eisenhower, Nelson Rockefeller, and perhaps the most accurate modern representation: Mitt Romney (you'll note that Romney did exceptionally well in suburbs all across the country in 2012). I also know this from personal experience in my visits to suburban areas and conversing with the locals. They have nuanced differences from staunch conservatives, but the ideological framework is consistent: with free market-laissez faire capitalism & civil liberties being at the forefront of their policies. To that end, I am in sync with these constituents, and should have no trouble representing them politically in an elected capacity.
Now to sum up THAT ^ point; I know that suburban Republicans are considerably more moderate, and Indianapolis as all big cities is as blue as it gets, but I wonder just how blue places like Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, and Noblesville are.
Just a side note; I am personally for constitutional carry. I think it's ridiculous that you have to pay a fee, get fingerprinted, and apply for a permit to exercise a constitutional right. Thankfully, Indiana is a shall-issue state in regards to pistol permits, so that's a relief. It's not that big of a deal truthfully, considering I'm from NYC and you wouldn't believe the hoops you have to go through just to exercise some VERY basic constitutional rights. I'm used to the whole application process. So while I do disagree with the policy on an ideological level, it's not that big a deal to me. Just an annoyance.
Nevertheless I do love how gun friendly Indiana appears to be. Had a big old smile plastered across my face when I read what you wrote regarding the legislature stepping in to protect the civil liberties of the residents. God bless!
Final comment I'll make is in regards to living suburban vs rural; I feel living in a suburb would be best during my professional/parenting years. A nice, controlled environment with plenty of opportunities to get involved with a community and be within a decent driving distance for any extravaganzas. I figure living in a rural area, if I'd ever decide on doing that, would probably suit me when the kiddos are grown up and I'm retired. You know, that whole "quiet patch of land to retire on" cliche.
I think your idea of the politics of Carmel/Fishers are pretty right on. For instance, one recent primary. In Indiana in the primary election, you pick either democratic ticket or republican ticket. You can't vote on both. The democratic ticket had 2 or 3 positions to vote for. The republican ticket had a dozen or more. Why the difference? Because a lot of positions had no democrats running. I have to assume that is a sign of the political leaning of the area. In Fishers, we just recently became a city instead of a town and we've had 2 mayoral elections. Even in the very first one, there were no democrats running. It's been all republicans.
Additionally, Hamilton county's political representation is also overwhelmingly Republican: their U.S congressional district (5th district) is held by Susan Brooks, a Republican, and the seat has been held by Republicans since 1993 with a current partisan cook rating of R+9 (not the strongest rating, but rather solid). The State Representative (Jerry Torr; IN-39) who represents the majority of the county (all of the cities I've mentioned/am interested in) is also a Republican, as are the State Senators: Michael Delph; IN-29. or John Ruckelsahus (IN-30).
Not that this necessarily changes your overall point, but Susan Brooks is the only one mentioned above who is one of my reps. My state rep is Todd Huston (37) and state senator is Jim Merritt (31).
Hamilton County is red. Marion County (basically Indy) is purplish-blue.
There's a place somewhere on this site where you can see incomes in various census tracts. That would give you an idea of where people making about a teacher's salary live. That's around what I make--with no debt or kids--and I live in a two-bedroom house in Little Flower, Indianapolis. People are frugal in Indy.
Well that's good to hear. The majority of Carmel, Fishers, and Noblesville is in Hamilton county--all the houses I've checked out end up there. Zionsville is in Boone County, which is pretty much as red as Hamilton county--voting Republican in every Presidential election since the New Deal era, and currently having overwhelmingly Republican political representation.
I'll be on the lookout for that place, thanks for letting me know!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ischyros
I think your idea of the politics of Carmel/Fishers are pretty right on. For instance, one recent primary. In Indiana in the primary election, you pick either democratic ticket or republican ticket. You can't vote on both. The democratic ticket had 2 or 3 positions to vote for. The republican ticket had a dozen or more. Why the difference? Because a lot of positions had no democrats running. I have to assume that is a sign of the political leaning of the area. In Fishers, we just recently became a city instead of a town and we've had 2 mayoral elections. Even in the very first one, there were no democrats running. It's been all republicans.
I see the same thing happen in NYC primaries. Just about everyone runs as a Democrat for every position, with Republican candidates being sparse, random placeholder names. Knowing from personal experience of working in the local political sphere, some of these "Democrats" are actually conservatives--masquerading as Democrats so they can be enfranchised politically. This is supported by their legislative voting record, when despite being affiliated with and caucusing with Democrats, they vote conservatively.
Partisan as it may be, it is encouraging to hear my political affiliation is heavily supported in the areas I'm interested in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by IndyDancer
Not that this necessarily changes your overall point, but Susan Brooks is the only one mentioned above who is one of my reps. My state rep is Todd Huston (37) and state senator is Jim Merritt (31).
I apologize, the elected official search engine I use becomes less reliable the more local the office gets. Regardless, I've checked out both Rep Huston (37) and Senator Merritt (31) and they're both Republicans. So as you said, it still supports my point.
If one is looking to buy a house in northern IN , north of Indy which locations/towns should I be looking at ?
I mean looking for something long term where I can put down roots
esp a safe area and with reasonably good schools
SO far I have job offers from Logansport IN and Portage IN, but unable to decide where to buy a house as both of these towns dont look so great but they offer much better pay then INdy and south bend for instance
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Plus you're pretty easily situated anywhere in the state from a variety of major cities. You've got Indy, Chicago, Louisville, Columbus, Cincinnati, Detroit (ehhhh), etc, etc if you want to go get some big city culture on the weekends. If you want to travel by air, all of those cities will support that nicely as well so you're really only ever about 2 hours away from flying direct to just about anywhere.
Repairs and maintenance alone on a half-million dollar house will average $5,000 a year. Working around successful people is great, but living around people who make a lot more money--who are driving nicer cars, taking fancier and more vacations, belong to clubs with a five-figure entry fee--can leave you feeling like you can't keep up with the Joneses. Kids especially may feel like they don't fit in. 
