Any NY'ers in Indiana with comments? (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne: to rent, condo, how much)

[seasection]

We are contemplating moving to Indy from LI and wonder if any of our fellow Big Applers have done this before us and have any tips?

[sweetana3]

Sure wish I could live in Manhattan. We love to visit and learn a lot on each trip.

It will be a change for you but not as much as you would think. Look for my answer to Safe places.

[mbk]

Hey, We moved her from LI last summer (Huntington-Centerport area).
where are you from? What would you like to know?

[belovenow]

Originally Posted by seasection

We are contemplating moving to Indy from LI and wonder if any of our fellow Big Applers have done this before us and have any tips?

My wife and I made our move out here from NYC about 6 years ago. We ended up in Fort Wayne not Indianapolis. I don't miss NYC - perhaps we were exceptions to the supposed rule, but are both highly educated but neither of us were compensated a lot in NYC, and in fact I would argue that none of our close friends are even today - the idea that you make a lot more money in NYC is fictional as far as I'm now concerned. Sure 5th or 6th year law firm partners are mostly doing very well in NYC, but there aren't too many professions like that and if you're a recent college graduate, forget about it. Cost of living was so high there that we were lucky to be able to make ends meet while renting a 1 bdrm condo... it was truly pathetic. In Indiana the cost of our 4 bdrm house with land is less than our cost to rent was. The our grocery bill is about 30% of what it was, and what people call traffic here, or even a commute is a joke compared to what we once experienced. We now have kids and are enjoying life - we work to live now rather than live to work.

I moved enough in my life that I didn't have a culture shock. What can you expect? - nicer people, less automobile horn honking, people interested in settling down and having families. I think anyone in their right mind would love the change.

I wish you best of luck. Indianapolis has great weather, and is still big enough of a city that you'll have lots of flights everywhere, good school options for kids, and lots to do.

[LONG ISLANDERS]

Originally Posted by mbuszu

My wife and I made our move out here from NYC about 6 years ago. We ended up in Fort Wayne not Indianapolis. I don't miss NYC - perhaps we were exceptions to the supposed rule, but are both highly educated but neither of us were compensated a lot in NYC, and in fact I would argue that none of our close friends are even today - the idea that you make a lot more money in NYC is fictional as far as I'm now concerned. Sure 5th or 6th year law firm partners are mostly doing very well in NYC, but there aren't too many professions like that and if you're a recent college graduate, forget about it. Cost of living was so high there that we were lucky to be able to make ends meet while renting a 1 bdrm condo... it was truly pathetic. In Indiana the cost of our 4 bdrm house with land is less than our cost to rent was. The our grocery bill is about 30% of what it was, and what people call traffic here, or even a commute is a joke compared to what we once experienced. We now have kids and are enjoying life - we work to live now rather than live to work.

I moved enough in my life that I didn't have a culture shock. What can you expect? - nicer people, less automobile horn honking, people interested in settling down and having families. I think anyone in their right mind would love the change.

I wish you best of luck. Indianapolis has great weather, and is still big enough of a city that you'll have lots of flights everywhere, good school options for kids, and lots to do.

When you say that Indianapolis has nice weather, what do you mean? How much snowfall is there? Does the southern region of the state get more or less snow? How is the climate compared to NY's?

[belovenow]

Originally Posted by LONG ISLANDERS

When you say that Indianapolis has nice weather, what do you mean? How much snowfall is there? Does the southern region of the state get more or less snow? How is the climate compared to NY's?

Objectively - websites like and city-data.com will give you statistics. Subjectively, you can expect to see fewer snow days, fewer freeze days, and overall a more moderate climate than LI or anywhere in the tri-state area (indeed it is warmer). In North Eastern Indiana (Fort Wayne) where I am you get more snow (we're below the lake-effect snowbelt that Southbend is exposed to, but we do get some of the cold air from canada/northern US on occasion). Data-wise, the 27 inch annual average is higher than what I've seen in the last 6 years. Indy is a few degrees warmer any given day and gets less snow. Most people love the climate there and a bit further south in Indiana. You will experience all four seasons in Indy - so the overall net effect of all this is that the weather is very comparable to LI or the tri-state vicinity, just a few degrees warmer.

[skytrekker]

Greater New York is a USDA zone 7- which means the annual lowest temperature is about 0 to 10 degrees. Most of Indiana, including Indianapolis is a zone 6- meaning average lows are 0 to 10 below zero. Exceptions are Ft Wayne, South Bend and Lafayette which are a zone 5 (-10--15) and along the Ohio River, Evansville, and New Albany (Louisville Suburb) A zone 7-lowest temps again 0-10 above on average.

Greater NY and especially LI will be significantly milder in the winter and less hot in the summer due to the moderating influence of the Atlantic ocean. Indiana lacks an oceanic presence to moderate weather in the winter and summer. Precipitation events will be more extreme in greater NY because of nor' easters, and the added moisture off the ocean.

USDA zones are a hybrid of the USDA and Arbor foundation updated in 2003.

[seasection]

Thanks for all of your input. We are from the Stony Brook Area and are moving out in Late June/July to Fishers. We are very excited to get off the NY hamster wheel!!