Looking to move to Indy (Indianapolis, Evansville: for sale, houses, neighborhoods)

[username64]

My wife and I are relocating to Indy because she was laid off during quarantine. We are both in our mid-40s, with four kids (9-17).

I'll be working from home; she has two nearly identical job offers in Franklin & near the Indianapolis Airport.

We live near Evansville, but I grew up south of University Heights, in Perry Twp. Haven't been back since college.

There are two houses that we're really keeping our eye on, one in Greenwood (near W Main St) and one in Avon (~1 mile north of Ivytech). Which would you recommend more to us?
Feel free to suggest other towns if you feel neither of these two fit the bill! Must be within 25 mins of one of her possible work locations.

Important qualities include:
Live and let live atmosphere - I'm liberal and my wife is conservative. We both want to feel comfortable.
Friendly people - Somewhere slower-paced with a rural/suburban mix.
Raising a family - We want there to be plenty of other kids and teens in town for ours to interact with!
Decent public schools - Don't have to be top ranked, but at least average.
Mix of incomes - I have a "White collar" job and my wife has a "Blue collar" one. Neither of us want to stick out.

[WestsideMac]

If you get to certain parts of Avon it can feel very fast paced, mostly along 36 (Rockville Rd). Where you mention definitely starts to feel more rural, but Avon is developing lots of new neighborhoods very quickly on any farm land that goes up for sale. The further west in Avon you can be the better for the slower feel and parks. Where you are looking is about a 25 minute commute on a good day, traffic at rush hour can definitely make this commute even longer.

I think Greenwood is even more fast paced and busy than Avon. The mall doesn't help, but some of the developments in Main St area will increase traffic in that area as well.

Now don't get me wrong, both are good communities for raising kids and will have tons for your family to do. Most of those neighborhoods will also have tons of kids for yours to play with as well. Schools will be fine in either district as well. You probably can't go wrong with choosing Avon or Greenwood, I would consider these towns in addition.

West:

I would probably recommend looking in Plainfield over Avon, especially if your wife is working near the airport. They have the best park system on the Westside, currently. It's even closer to the airport so she's home more instead of stuck in the car. She will not have to worry about crossing over 36 (Rockville Rd) and once into the neighborhood areas of Plainfield it feels very small town, slower pace of life. We really loved a couple of options we offered on in the area, but just other bids were waaaay over the top on price (back in 2016-17). You definitely get a good mix of white and blue collar here. The population is changing as it is still more older than younger people (look at high school numbers in comparison to Avon or Brownsburg and then town overall population numbers and you'll see what I mean), but that is shifting. Most neighborhoods will have plenty of kids to play with. Library will be a great place for programs to connect to other kids with too.

Danville and Brownsburg are really good options, but I'm not recommending them because they are much further out commute wise so that may not be ideal, but definitely small town feel there. Housing stock is much more limited in Danville. Brownsburg has lots of options. Definitely a mix of blue and white collar in both. Still enough to do and get involved with that kids should be fine. Again this would be a commute for your wife though and not as ideal. The house you are looking at in Avon isn't far from Brownsburg limits, but again I think most people want to keep commutes down if possible.

One final option is Mooresville. 67 can be busy, but as soon as you are off 67 pace of life seems to slow down dramatically. This is still very close to the airport. However, this will be the least diverse when it comes to political feelings and white/blue collar. Mooresville is definitely much more conservative leaning. Can't speak on how comfortable or uncomfortable you'd be but just a warning. It is also much more blue collar. The houses we looked at were in good neighborhoods with kids ours would have played with, but you'll get mixed reviews on living there and perceptions of Mooresville depending on who you talk to. We liked the areas we looked at, but ended up liking Plainfield and Brownsburg much better. I have never lived there, just what I hear from those who do live in area now or in past.

South:

As I posted on another thread I'd actually pick Franklin over Greenwood. I think the school system is better and it's definitely much slower paced laid back than Greenwood. Yes it will lean more conservative, BUT with Franklin College in town you definitely have plenty of those who have liberal leanings. Franklin College will also have some cool events for all ages. You are still close enough to Greenwood and the mall, water park, etc without the hustle and bustle every day. Franklin has a lot to offer itself in ways of entertainment. They should have plenty of housing stock and while it used to be more blue collar is definitely shifting towards a good mix.

I'd also look Bargersville area. Again it's great schools that I'd say are better than Greenwood. It's about a 15 minute commute to Franklin. The area is exploding with growth though. I would say it definitely leans more conservative and more white collar. However from friends who live in that area they don't typically deal much with issues of politics and judgement. It will have more of a keeping up with the Joneses of any of the suburbs I mentioned I think, but again just trying to give you another option.

Finally Whiteland is another option, however, I never got much of a community feel with that area unless you were connected to the high school. Everything is sort of an extension of either Greenwood or Franklin and situated mostly along 31. So hustle and bustle for sure.

Again these are my observations and what I've heard. I don't think you can really go wrong with either choice you are already looking at though.

[MortonR]

Grew up on the Southside, lived in both Greenwood and Avon.

My choice would be Avon if I had school aged kids. It's a bit more progressive than Greenwood and can be slower paced depending on where you're located. West of Avon has a lot of existing traditional homes with large lots that would be nice for an active family.If you stick to the corridor between 10th St. and 21st St. there are a lot of different options for housing and you're off the beaten path of Rockville Road/SR 36 yet within minutes of many major thoroughfares.

I preferred Avon schools, too - and that's based on having a child in Avon schools and a family member that was on Clark-Pleasant Township's school board for a number of years.

RM