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I'm thinking of moving from Pittsburgh to Indy to be closer to family. I've been to Indy but want to learn more about living there. All input is appreciated!
Here are the things I'd like to know more about:
#1 is probably crime/safety. Obviously there is crime and there are places to avoid, but how do you feel it compares to other cities? Is it relatively safe to walk places during the day, etc? (I know of other places where that's probably risky...haha)
Is there any form of mass transit? I like being able to ride the bus and let my car sit...is that possible there? Are there places to bike? Are there bike lanes? I would like to use this mode of transportation but am uncomfortable riding on the street.
How is traffic?
Are there places to live where I could walk to the store, restaurants, etc? How is downtown living? I'd prefer not to live in the suburbs but it seems like everyone does??
I really like the urban feel of Pittsburgh (at least I think it has that), would I lose that in Indy? I'm from a small town and would prefer not to live somewhere that just feels small.
Is Indy clean?
Do you think the city is trying to advance or is it stagnant or going backward? Is Indy trying to be more eco-friendly?
Also, I've noticed that everyone in Pittsburgh seems to want to leave...is Indy like that or do people seem proud to live there?
I'm also looking at Chicago, Columbus, Nashville, and maybe Atlanta, so if you have any comments/comparisons, they are welcome of course.
1) Indianapolis is a pretty safe place. Like any city, it has its rough areas that are to be avoided. If you know where to go, most of Indianapolis is pretty safe.
2) Well, mass transit exists here. It is embarrassing by big city standards, but it does exist. We have bike lanes on some streets. There are people that bike to work along the Monon Trail; and there is now the culture trail under construction downtown. The only completed part of it is over near Mass Ave on the northeastern areas of downtown. If you are unfamiliar with the project, check it out, it is actually pretty nice: Indianapolis Cultural Trail : Home
3) The traffic here is pretty light for the most part. There are hot-spots that get clogged; but it is not too bad.
4) Downtown or Broad Ripple would be your best bet. You can somewhat do that in Fountain Square but your options are a little more limited.
5) Pittsburgh has more of an "urban" feel to it. Indianapolis is coming around; but it will never match places like Pitt. We just have a different style around here. Indy does not really "feel" like a small place; it just does not have the urbanity other places do at their core.
6) Indianapolis is clean.
7) Indianapolis is not stagnant.
8) I know a lot of people that want to leave; I know a lot of people that would never want to leave. Both groups think they are the majority and the other camp is insane and petty.
9) Indianapolis and Chicago would be impossible to compare. Chicago is............Chicago. Indianapolis does not, and never will, compare with Chicago. Some people (such as myself) appreciate that and live here for a reason; some people whine non stop about it.
Columbus is often considered to be a very similar city to Indianapolis; having only been to C-bus once I can not comment on that.
Nashville is one of my favorite places to visit. Nashville has more traffic; and is more spread out. It also lacks urbanity; but they're trying as well. Nashville is also growing like crazy, or was at one time.
Indy is often said to be very family oriented but if you work at it there are a lot of activities for all.
A vegan friend wanted to socialize with others of her age and interests. Guess what? Found a new hip coffee shop that expanded with music and vegan/vegetarian options and special events. Just takes looking and asking.
Broad Ripple can be expensive but is walkable and easy to access on the Monon from other areas and full of fun activities.
Very car necessary city to take advantage of everything. Bus use depends on where you live and where you work.
1. RE: crime / safety. Indianapolis is pretty safe for a city of its size (pop: 800K). On a list of 50 biggest metro areas, Indy came in 30 (with #1 being the most dangerous and #50 being the safest).
2. Mass transit in Indy is a joke. You really have to own a car to live here, and you'll need to use it regularly.
3. Traffic is not bad most places. I-69 and some other hot spots can get congested during rush hour, but if you're used to big city traffic, you probably won't find it bad at all.
4. Walkable places to live...not really. Again, you really really need to own and use a car to live in the Indianapolis metro area. Even if you live someplace where you can walk to work, you'll need to get groceries, etc.; and there just aren't any areas in which you could walk to everything you would need in a typical day or week.
5. How is downtown living? Depends upon what your wants and needs are. I think people live in the suburbs rather than downtown for a few reasons: the suburbs tend to have 1) less crime, 2) big houses with sizeable yards, and 3) better schools. If you don't particularly care about those three things, why not live downtown?
6. Indy is a cleaner city than, say, London, England. However, you should be aware that 95% of Indiana's electricity is produced by the burning of coal, so the air is more polluted than many other comparably-sized cities. Also, Indy is still way behind the curve in terms of convenient, curbside recycling.
7. I'd say that on the backwards-to-growth spectrum, Indy is just about in the middle, just slightly going towards growth. So not exactly stagnant, but very slow growth.
8. In my experience, virtually everybody that has lived in Indy their entire lives is VERY down on the town and very negative about themselves, their fellow Hoosiers, and the state of Indiana as a whole. However, they never make a move to leave or change anything. Sorry, but it's true. The flip side of that is that virtually everybody who has moved to Indy from somewhere else is quite positive about living here. They like the "big city with a small-town feel" that Indianapolis has, the affordability (which people who have lived here their entire lives can't begin to appreciate), the family-friendliness, etc.
I would say if you really want a highly-urban environment with great public transit so you could virtually do away with having a car, Indianapolis is not a great fit for you. You might do better to look at some of the other cities on your list.
Thank you for the great responses! I think Indy sounds like a great place to live. Most of the things I asked about (like mass transit) are not absolutely necessary, I was just curious. Most of the comments I've seen on this forum are very positive about the city compared to other cities. Is this maybe because this forum is less active or just those who love Indy are on here?? haha.
I'm really interested in downtown living. Is crime in that particular area something I should be concerned about?
There are people out there who can be very negative about Indy. You've just been lucky to have a few of the posters with some objectivity and common sense leave you messages.
Concerning downtown living, crime is not a major issue at all, particularly compared to other cities. I have never once been concerned about walking alone around downtown. Indy made a decision a couple decades ago to invest in its downtown and make it a place people would want to be. Since that decision was made, crime has been significantly reduced and there have been lots of improvements in the area. It's also fairly compact (roughly 1 mile across the downtown core in each direction) and as such is very walkable.
The only thing that may make people a bit uncomfortable is that there is a fair number of homeless in the area asking for money and whatnot. The reason you see that is largely because downtown is an active place and there are often plenty of people for them to ask for money. I'd say for the most part they're pretty kind and harmless, although a few can be pushy. I was in town last weekend sitting on monument circle and had a guy walk up to me to ask for a handout. I tried to politely decline by explaining I try to help when I can but that I didn't do that by handing out money to people I had just met on the street. Although I didn't necessarily mean the homeless by 'on the street' he got offended and angry about it, called me a crazy mother f---er and wandered off. But I digress. Overall, downtown Indy is a great place to live.
Zoo Animals on Wheels is right on the money. I am one of those who relocated here (from Pittsburgh no less). I describe Indy as being big enough without being too big. Love the friendly midwest folk. We retired and moved south but came back. Downtown Indy is not downtown Pittsburgh. And you don't find the same urban feel.
Indy is way behind in biking safety and bike lanes are few and far between.
I recommend the south side. It is less congested and you can be in rural areas more quickly.
You'll miss the ethnic foods found in the Burgh.
Crime downtown is mostly about property. We live downtown and the police station is mere blocks away. Crimewatch is active and you can go to a police meeting once a month for specific info and they are very open about what is happening.
We had our garage door kicked in but nothing taken. The cardboard boxes that fell on him must have scared him off. Police came out fast even though we used the non emergency number. Took a report and gave us current info on what was going on in the various neighborhoods. It was not much.
Most of the problems we have are stupid drunk issues. Had someone messing under one of our windows at night and when I told him he did not belong he said "I work here". I dont think so. When we got on the phone with 911 he wandered off. The police are very responsive.
I dont feel at danger and in 10 years have only been sworn at twice by the downtown wanderers. One was a woman who was a problem for a long time around the Federal building and the other was while walking to work in the daylight and I was scared just cause he was so big and loud.
You do not want to leave things in your car or loose outside a house. This issue is anywhere you live. A young friend locked up her bike outside and it was stolen. But even a suburban church had their tractor stolen.
#1 is probably crime/safety. Obviously there is crime and there are places to avoid, but how do you feel it compares to other cities? Is it relatively safe to walk places during the day, etc? (I know of other places where that's probably risky...haha)
Indianapolis certainly has its fair share of crime, but most violent crime is confined to the slummiest areas of the city. Downtown is virtually free of violent crime and is safe to walk almost all the time. Muggings, car theft, etc. often occur, but there is a lot of foot traffic downtown so if you stay out of alleys and dark corners you should be fine.
To get a feel for the overall safety of the suburbs, get this: in September, a house in Noblesville (far-northside affluent suburb) was broken into. The news reported on the break-in for A FULL WEEK.
The areas inbetween downtown and the 'burbs are kind of hit-and-miss. There are some really slummy areas, especially to the immediate east and west of downtown, that are crime-riddled. Stay away if you're smart. The near-northside and pretty much everything north of 46th Street is relatively safe. The city technically goes all the way north to 96th Street, but there are some suburban-like residential areas with city addresses that are as safe as the actual suburbs.
The latest data is 2008. Check it out, it really helped my wife and I determine where (not) to live.
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Is there any form of mass transit? I like being able to ride the bus and let my car sit...is that possible there? Are there places to bike? Are there bike lanes? I would like to use this mode of transportation but am uncomfortable riding on the street.
Indy has a conspicuous lack of public transit, but does operate a bus network called IndyGo. The much-maligned IndyGo is not very well designed for city-wide use because it uses downtown as a hub for every route (meaning you have to go downtown first to, say, get from the east side to the west side, even if there is a more direct route). It sounds to me, though, from your previous post, that you would enjoy living downtown. If that is the case, you could probably get some mileage out of IndyGo.
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How is traffic?
Traffic is a tough nut to crack in Indy for a couple reasons. First of all, as mentioned above, there is no meaningful public transit (in the sense that people commute on it). That means just about everyone is commuting twice a day. That said, Indy's street and freeway network is phenomenal...the streets are wide enough (generally) to accommodate traffic and the highways are all free (no tollways). The worst parts of town for traffic are the Northside, Southside, and downtown. The Westside is growing but is not as densely populated, thus fewer cars on any given street. I-465, the Indy bypass/beltway, always has steady traffic and gets slammed at rush hour time.
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Are there places to live where I could walk to the store, restaurants, etc? How is downtown living? I'd prefer not to live in the suburbs but it seems like everyone does??
I really like the urban feel of Pittsburgh (at least I think it has that), would I lose that in Indy? I'm from a small town and would prefer not to live somewhere that just feels small.
This depends entirely on where you choose to live. A lot of work has gone into the downtown area since the mid-'80s to make it exactly what you described - a clean, safe, walkable urban area. I absolutely adore downtown Indy, and would live there myself if my wife hadn't found a job in the suburbs. Broad Ripple is another such area, but has more of a college-town, "village" feel...not to be confused with a small town, though. It is inhabited mainly by artsy 20-somethings and Butler U students with no kids. The bar and restaurant scene is fantastic, but it is less "urban" in the sense that there aren't any highrises, etc. in the immediate area.
Another area you might like is old-town Carmel. Carmel is the super-affluent suburban community immediately north of Indy. It is safer, cleaner, and far less urban than the city, but you can definitely live in a townhouse, walk to the store and walk to some restaurants in the immediate area. You will still need a car, though, and you can't get from Carmel to Indy on IndyGo, so you'd need a car to get into the city if you ever need to.
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Is Indy clean?
For a city of its size, it's spotless.
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Do you think the city is trying to advance or is it stagnant or going backward? Is Indy trying to be more eco-friendly?
It definitely isn't going backward. The city approved the construction of our first public-transit rail line in 2007, but the economic meltdown has put that on ice for now. Recycling services are available and encouraged by the waste management utility, Indy has been a "Tree City USA" for as long as I can remember, and the city has made a concerted effort to make the streets more bike-friendly by designating bike lanes. The urban areas I mentioned before have always been the most bike-friendly, though, so you wouldn't have a problem I don't think.
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Also, I've noticed that everyone in Pittsburgh seems to want to leave...is Indy like that or do people seem proud to live there?
I think you'll get some of that no matter where you go, but I think most people are happy here. The biggest complaint is the winter, but if you are from Pittsburgh you will probably think our winter is mild. I talk to a lot of people in my work as an IT Consultant, and the vast majority think Indy is one of the best balances of big-city amenities and affordable cost of living in America.
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I'm also looking at Chicago, Columbus, Nashville, and maybe Atlanta, so if you have any comments/comparisons, they are welcome of course.
Chicago - only comparable to NYC and San Francisco. I hope you have a lot of money if you want to live there, because you won't be able to live anywhere near downtown or the lake if you don't. The cost of living is double Indianapolis. Are you a baseball fan? If you are, you'll love Chicago. Also, the public transit is phenomenal and there is more ethnic diversity...
Columbus - smaller, dirtier, all around not-as-good version of Indy.
Nashville - fantastic if you like country music. I've never stayed there, so I can't comment on the downtown area or the restaurant/bar scene. I have heard it's a fun place, though. Nashville (and Tennessee in general) has a lot of rednecks (so does Indiana and parts of Indianapolis, though). Nashville is smaller than Indy and has less to do in the way of sports. The winters are MUCH milder. Racism can still be a problem in some parts.
Atlanta - LOTS of sprawl. The city itself makes up only 10-15% of the total metro area population. Chicago's is about 25% and Indy is just under half. The traffic is terrible, the cost of living is more than Indy but less than Chicago, and there is a good pro sports presence there. The summers are brutal but the winters are mild. Hip-hop, rap, and African-American culture in general have a huge influence in Atlanta. Georgia (outside Atlanta) is hopelessly conservative and backwater.
Thank you so much for the great responses! It's really great to hear comparisons with other cities I'm considering.
I have an additional question that may seem kind of strange I'm interested in learning more about the smoking situation in Indy -- I'm slightly allergic to the smoke, which can be problematic. I was wondering 1) Do restaurants allow smoking or has it been banned? 2) Is it really bad when you're walking down the street? Pittsburgh is HORRIBLE about this. When I'm walking around in certain parts of town (Oakland if you're familiar), I have to hold my breath A LOT. I've never been anywhere so bad (Pgh does have a high smoking rate) and I know other people from Chicago, etc. that say they have never had that problem anywhere else either. Thanks again everyone- all the comments have been REALLY helpful!
PS- I'm not looking to get into a debate about smoking
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I'm interested in learning more about the smoking situation in Indy -- I'm slightly allergic to the smoke, which can be problematic. I was wondering 1) Do restaurants allow smoking or has it been banned? 2) Is it really bad when you're walking down the street? Pittsburgh is HORRIBLE about this. When I'm walking around in certain parts of town (Oakland if you're familiar), I have to hold my breath A LOT. I've never been anywhere so bad (Pgh does have a high smoking rate) and I know other people from Chicago, etc. that say they have never had that problem anywhere else either. Thanks again everyone- all the comments have been REALLY helpful! 
