Best place to live in Indiana (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne: for rent, new home, neighborhoods)

[KJay]

I need to know the best place to be where homes are affordable and family oriented for an African American family. I have two children and one is 6yrs of age so I'm looking for great schools as well. Also my wife and I are starting a clothing line andi own a music business. Any idea as to where would be a good start. I hear that Indianapolis is nice or was I sent on a blind trip?

[domergurl]

Indianapolis and it's burbs are nice. It's hard to direct you one way or the other without some specifics though. Do you want to live within the city? Are you opposed to the burbs? You can find most any kind of home ... in all price ranges all over the place.

It just really depends on what you are looking for, but given what you wrote, I'd have to say, keep investigating because the answers to your questions as of now are all "yes".

[bewildered homeowner]

Stay clear of Marion!! this place wreaks of racism

[cdr18]

Either Indianapolis and the burbs, Fort Wayne, or possibly even the Mishawaka area. If you don't want to live in a major city, Fort Wayne or South Bend/Mishawaka would be the second best chance for your business.

[KJay]

ok thanks

[plainsman48]

Originally Posted by KJay

I need to know the best place to be where homes are affordable and family oriented for an African American family. I have two children and one is 6yrs of age so I'm looking for great schools as well. Also my wife and I are starting a clothing line andi own a music business. Any idea as to where would be a good start.

Where I live in Lake County.

[Northwest Indiana]

What is your budget? And do you want a new home or an old one?

[brainiac138]

Fort Wayne is very affordable and great for any family. It has a nice zoo, library system, and the schools are pretty good. Housing in Fort Wayne is ridiculously cheap for renting and buying.

[850_branded]

Originally Posted by KJay

I need to know the best place to be where homes are affordable and family oriented for an African American family. I have two children and one is 6yrs of age so I'm looking for great schools as well. Also my wife and I are starting a clothing line andi own a music business. Any idea as to where would be a good start. I hear that Indianapolis is nice or was I sent on a blind trip?

From one brotha to anotha...I'll put it to you like this: on the whole, Indianapolis really doesn't have any type of "distinctive" character a la a Chicago or a Baltimore or a Houston...BUT, when it comes to practicality, the place is criminally underrated. I've been a lot of places in this nation, and as far as cost of living goes out here, you really can't beat the price for the convenience (of being so centrally located to so many different places).

Right now I stay way down south of the city, but am looking at moving up into the city once I come off my current assignment. Let me say this before any measure of the pervasive ignorance shows up in here: the inside of 465 is not the general "racist war zone" some will make it out to be. Like most any other major city, there are good areas, and there are areas you'd probably do better to stay out of. There's really no rhyme or reason as to where in the city these pockets are (except for the near east side of town), but they do exist. All that said, for what you're looking for, most would probably be quick to recommend Broad Ripple or Fishers (or Carmel). I don't know much about either Fishers or Carmel, except that the two towns (neighborhoods?) are to the NNE of the 465 rim. From what I've read on here, they both have good school systems and are both very family-oriented. Much of this can be said about Broad Ripple as well (which is a neighborhood inside the 465 rim, pretty much due north and slightly east of the downtown core). However, from what I've read and heard since I've been out there, Indy's school systems aren't exactly the best, though I'm in no position to speak to the validity of those opinions.

All of that said, I saw that you and your wife are starting up a business and already own one. Did you know that an article in a 2009 issue of Black Enterprise rated Indianapolis among its top 10 cities for black-owned business? Just figured I'd toss that out there.

Best of luck to you and your family on your search. Hope some of this helped out.

[photoghog]

There is only one place to live in Indiana and that is Bloomington. This is especially true if you own a music business. Bloomington is one of the music capitals of the US, if not the world. Every Fall is the Lotus Festival and all year round is the Indiana University School of Music, one of the premier music institutions in the world. There is also a very interesting music scene at the local bars all over town, all year. Its the closest you can get to Seattle without crossing the Mississippi.