Single young professional looking to move to Indianapolis from the Northeast (Lafayette: apartment complex, to rent)

[glenn01]

Hello,

I know this question probably gets asked frequently, and I've read several of them, but I have a few that I couldn't find the answer to.

I'm 23 years old single male, recent graduate, in talks with a company in Carmel, IN that may be hiring me soon. So that's one issue: unlike most jobs, this one would be in Carmel, so I can't just settle in downtown (unless you say the drive is relatively short in the morning and evening).

I do want to move in to a place where other young professionals would be, I'm not much in the bar scene but it'd definitely be a plus to know where the other mature young people are.

At this point, I know many people have suggested Broad Ripple in the past. If I go for Broad Ripple, which apartment complexes would be the best? Price is a factor, but I would definitely like a nice place (less crime, more perks, walking distance places, furnished etc.)

Also, how diverse is Indianapolis? I'm of Asian origin, hoping there's no problem with that! Are the people accepting and open? How hard is it to meet new people? Any culture shocks from a Northeastern (Mass) perspective? I'm fine with reading your stories

Thanks!

[graphotism]

I am not that much older than you are. So I will answer from the perspective of a person that is also a young professional.
Living downtown is not a terrible commute to Carmel, but it also depends on where downtown, and where in Carmel. Traffic can be heavy but really its not when you compare to other cities of similar size. I would wager you can make most places in Carmel, from most places in downtown in 25 minutes or less regardless of the time of day, if you don't drive like an octogenarian.

I personally think there are much more lively areas of the city than Downtown. Broadripple is not nearly the fun it used to be in the 90's, but I think you would still find a lot more people your own age there than downtown Indy and if you meet someone you want to take home from the bar you will only be a short distance away to begin with. Just keepin it real!

I would not move to Carmel. Indy is not a dangerous place in general, so the arguement about carmel being better, safer, etc.. is moot, from my perspective. I never met a single person under 30 who hung out in Carmel in their spare time. People your age who lived in Carmel just came into the city to spend their free time, from people I met/dated/etc

Indianapolis is not really that diverse, and even the state of Indiana even less so. I am sure people will disagree, but as a minority myself I can tell you my personal experiences living in various different neighborhoods all over the city was not of open acceptance. On the southside of town (Fountain Square) people are downright bigoted. That's also something you may well experience anyplace outside 465 or south of the Circle (The circle is a monument downtown which by design marks zero east to west and zero north to south). Indy is near the bottom of the list of cities I have lived in as far as genuine acceptance of different types of people. Tolerance and acceptance are not the same at all. Indy tolerates.

I grew up in a nice Jewish neighborhood near 64th and Hoover with several synagogues on various nearby streets (at the time) so I am aware that there are of course different nationalities, races, religious beliefs that are common in Indy, but comparing it to many other cities would easily show you that it is not especially diverse.

Indy is extremely affordable, centrally located to the entire midwest, and has a somewhat stimulating nightlife if you make an effort to find it.

Indy has great neighborhoods for whatever type of lifestyle you want to live and is an awesome place to raise a family, conversely.

So if you want a somewhat sleepy midwestern city thats affordable, safe, and predictable.. Indy might be for you.

[gabaghoul]

Originally Posted by glenn01

Hello,

I know this question probably gets asked frequently, and I've read several of them, but I have a few that I couldn't find the answer to.

I'm 23 years old single male, recent graduate, in talks with a company in Carmel, IN that may be hiring me soon. So that's one issue: unlike most jobs, this one would be in Carmel, so I can't just settle in downtown (unless you say the drive is relatively short in the morning and evening).

I do want to move in to a place where other young professionals would be, I'm not much in the bar scene but it'd definitely be a plus to know where the other mature young people are.

At this point, I know many people have suggested Broad Ripple in the past. If I go for Broad Ripple, which apartment complexes would be the best? Price is a factor, but I would definitely like a nice place (less crime, more perks, walking distance places, furnished etc.)

Also, how diverse is Indianapolis? I'm of Asian origin, hoping there's no problem with that! Are the people accepting and open? How hard is it to meet new people? Any culture shocks from a Northeastern (Mass) perspective? I'm fine with reading your stories

Thanks!

I've lived all over the northeast, including Massachusetts. If you were living in the suburbs or countryside of the northeast you won't be very shocked, of course the scenery over here is not as beautiful as the northeast especially Pennsylvania. If you lived in a big city like Boston, you might find it dull over here. You can check the official demographics but most people in Indianapolis are white or black although West Lafayette, where Purdue campus is, is full of interntional Asian students. It's an hour drive to the north. There are many Asian restaurants and grocery stores in Indy Plus, race is not an issue in greater Indy.Why don't you wanna live in Carmel? I would suggest you consider living in Carmel, look it up it's one of the best places to live in the entire country.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by glenn01

I do want to move in to a place where other young professionals would be, I'm not much in the bar scene but it'd definitely be a plus to know where the other mature young people are.

At this point, I know many people have suggested Broad Ripple in the past. If I go for Broad Ripple, which apartment complexes would be the best? Price is a factor, but I would definitely like a nice place (less crime, more perks, walking distance places, furnished etc.)

Also, how diverse is Indianapolis? I'm of Asian origin, hoping there's no problem with that! Are the people accepting and open? How hard is it to meet new people? Any culture shocks from a Northeastern (Mass) perspective? I'm fine with reading your stories

The NE quad of downtown would be a good area. You could look in places like Herron-Morton just north of downtown.

I am not sure about the guy who says people are bigoted in Fountain Square, I used to live in Fountain Square and never saw anything like that. I had black neighbors with whom I was somewhat close with, they love Fountain Square. People forget sometimes, Fountain Square is not what it was 5 years ago.

Broad Ripple is a nice choice too.

Working on the northside, I do know many single people that hang out in Carmel/Fishers. It is not the same scene as what you'll see in the city, but I wouldn't write Carmel off as an option.

Yes, Indianapolis is probably going to be a big change from New England. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is in the eye of the beholder. I know people who moved here from all over the country, some love it, some couldn't get out of town fast enough.

[ischyros]

Downtown Carmel isn't exactly Mass Ave or Broad Ripple but the Arts & Design District has apartments above bars and restaurants along with some art galleries and other little stores. There's a pizza joint, burger joint, an Irish pub, a bar and grill that usually has live bands. The Monon Trail runs right through the middle of Carmel and is a paved bike/jogging/walking trail that runs from just north of downtown Indianapolis, through Carmel, and into Westfield.

The biggest downside to living in downtown Indianapolis and working in Carmel is you have to take surface streets to get to Carmel. There is no highway or expressway access without going waaaaaay out of your way. That being said, you would mostly be going against the flow of rush hour traffic. Carmel does have the second highest density of offices in the metro, though, so it has it's own mini-rush hour in and out of the city. It really does depend what part of Carmel you work on because Carmel is very spread out west to east.

I believe the Asian community is the biggest minority in Carmel, somewhere around 10% of the population, and I've never seen any kind of disrespect toward them here.

[a1b2c3mm]

Graphotism,

Hi, I was interested in what you have to say about Indy. I am moving there in July. I have lived on the east coast and currently am in LA. While there is some bigotism in every city, some have more than others. I am a minority and am Jewish but don't usually come across as either just from looks so I get to hear a lot of commentary about others when people don't know my background. I am completely repelled by racist or bigoted attitudes and would certainly like to avoid that as much as possible! So, Fountain Square, no good? can you elaborate on what you've experienced there? Religious intolerance? what is it? I have a diverse group of friends and colleagues.i'd ideally like to live in an area of indy that is diverse. Would love to get your input. I heard mass ave is maybe a little more interesting than other areas? your views on the canal area? Thank you in advance -

Originally Posted by graphotism

I am not that much older than you are. So I will answer from the perspective of a person that is also a young professional.
Living downtown is not a terrible commute to Carmel, but it also depends on where downtown, and where in Carmel. Traffic can be heavy but really its not when you compare to other cities of similar size. I would wager you can make most places in Carmel, from most places in downtown in 25 minutes or less regardless of the time of day, if you don't drive like an octogenarian.

I personally think there are much more lively areas of the city than Downtown. Broadripple is not nearly the fun it used to be in the 90's, but I think you would still find a lot more people your own age there than downtown Indy and if you meet someone you want to take home from the bar you will only be a short distance away to begin with. Just keepin it real!

I would not move to Carmel. Indy is not a dangerous place in general, so the arguement about carmel being better, safer, etc.. is moot, from my perspective. I never met a single person under 30 who hung out in Carmel in their spare time. People your age who lived in Carmel just came into the city to spend their free time, from people I met/dated/etc

Indianapolis is not really that diverse, and even the state of Indiana even less so. I am sure people will disagree, but as a minority myself I can tell you my personal experiences living in various different neighborhoods all over the city was not of open acceptance. On the southside of town (Fountain Square) people are downright bigoted. That's also something you may well experience anyplace outside 465 or south of the Circle (The circle is a monument downtown which by design marks zero east to west and zero north to south). Indy is near the bottom of the list of cities I have lived in as far as genuine acceptance of different types of people. Tolerance and acceptance are not the same at all. Indy tolerates.

I grew up in a nice Jewish neighborhood near 64th and Hoover with several synagogues on various nearby streets (at the time) so I am aware that there are of course different nationalities, races, religious beliefs that are common in Indy, but comparing it to many other cities would easily show you that it is not especially diverse.

Indy is extremely affordable, centrally located to the entire midwest, and has a somewhat stimulating nightlife if you make an effort to find it.

Indy has great neighborhoods for whatever type of lifestyle you want to live and is an awesome place to raise a family, conversely.

So if you want a somewhat sleepy midwestern city thats affordable, safe, and predictable.. Indy might be for you.

[Broadrippleguy]

Originally Posted by a1b2c3mm

Graphotism,

Hi, I was interested in what you have to say about Indy. I am moving there in July. I have lived on the east coast and currently am in LA. While there is some bigotism in every city, some have more than others. I am a minority and am Jewish but don't usually come across as either just from looks so I get to hear a lot of commentary about others when people don't know my background. I am completely repelled by racist or bigoted attitudes and would certainly like to avoid that as much as possible! So, Fountain Square, no good? can you elaborate on what you've experienced there? Religious intolerance? what is it? I have a diverse group of friends and colleagues.i'd ideally like to live in an area of indy that is diverse. Would love to get your input. I heard mass ave is maybe a little more interesting than other areas? your views on the canal area? Thank you in advance -

I honestly think you don't have anything to worry about.
Indianapolis has a sizable Jewish population and there is a synagogue on the north side of the city on Meridian Street.
I think Graphotism was exaggerating too much.

[rrah]

To the OP: My D is about the same age as you. Her job is also in Carmel. She elected to live in Carmel because she wanted a super short commute (10-15 minutes). She enjoys outdoor activities including running and biking so her apartment was perfect as it connects to a trail that eventually connects to the Monon Trail. She also belongs to the fitness center run by the Carmel Park District. She sees people her age there. She enjoys biking to downtown Carmel in nice weather and has found a few favorite restaurants, etc. When she wants to do the bar thing, not often, she can drive into Broad Ripple. If you're not into fitness activities, I would suggest downtown Carmel.

The big difference is she already had some college friends--maybe a 1/2 dozen-- in the area. Her best male friend is Asian. We've talked frequently about racism in the area. For the most part, it's not a problem for him. From what I understand through conversations there seems to be an Asian community (or at least Chinese community) he connects with through his parents.

You're not going to find a crazy, party all night, type of crowd in Carmel. It does seem to work for an increasing number of young professionals.

I also just noticed you mentioned wanting a furnished apartment. D didn't specifically look for a furnished apartment, but I don't recall finding that option. You might want to look into renting furniture. There are also lots of places with what I call "disposable" furniture. For a couple thousand dollars or less you could furnish your entire apartment. When you move you could just donate it. It might be a cheaper option in the long run.

[BU191433]

Just my opinion. I would look to live close to work. So I would look at Carmel.

The fact of the matter is this. Where do you meet people? how do you meet people? Through work, through church, through volunteer work. But it is very, very rare to meet people in the apartment complex in which you live. I never did at all. So live close to work, you can save gas money right there, and time, and then meet people through other means and socialize where ever you want.

[bertrandandjules]

Originally Posted by graphotism

Indy is near the bottom of the list of cities I have lived in as far as genuine acceptance of different types of people. Tolerance and acceptance are not the same at all. Indy tolerates.

I call BS on this. Big time. Unless this poster has only lived in--hmm, I don't know actually.

Indy is one of the least bigoted and segregated places I've lived. Is it free of problems? Absolutely not. But I still see less housing segregation here then just about anywhere else. Ask people what the black/Hispanic side of Indy is, and you'd get 50 different answers. In most cities I've lived, they'd all agree on the same place. Indy doesn't really have racially defined "sides of town".

And if the OP is coming from Boston, which it sounds like he might be, then the racial mix will be different, but Boston isn't exactly as diverse as it would like to think it is. Sure, it has a large Asian population thanks to all those universities, but it has a much, much lower African American population than Indy. Hispanic is about the same between the two cities.