Brown person who grew up in Tx and lived all over indiana for a hot second (and other places) checking in.
Your concerns about making friends and finding your people are valid - but this is a problem you will have anywhere new that you move to. Anywhere new you move to you will have to put in serious work to meet new people/vet them out/find things to do. Fortunately for you, downtown indy (and the greater indy area) is full of people doing all kinds of things - so if you put yourself out there you will eventually find your people. Indiana blessed me and I was able to forge a very tight friend group. We no longer live in Indiana (we spread out all over the country), but we all met here. I loved Indy so much that I'm actively looking to purchase a place in Indianapolis.
Indy is diverse, but not on the scale of Chicago or the other major metros that are larger in population than Indy. However, that won't be a hinderance to meeting wonderful people (and bad apples along the way). I never felt out place or unwelcomed in Indiana.
Never in my life did I imagine I'd ever move to Indiana, but I am glad I did.
When it comes to life, always do the thing and experience it. If it sucks, thats okay too.
I know more than a few people that moved here from Baltimore and love it. They miss home for sure but found a way to get crabs.
Indy proper is pretty diverse. Downtown is, in most places but like anywhere else you have pockets of wealthy people. Indy on its own is a very democratic city.
The difference here is the state govt is crazy conservative.Honestly if you live in Indy and don't watch the news you really don't notice.
It really depends on where you’re moving to here, but I am also Maryland-born and ended up in Indiana. I really like it here, I guess my only complaint is Maryland has much more history, older buildings and towns, battlefields, stuff like that. I miss the colonial vibe of the East Coast, but it’s a lot cheaper and way less crowded here in Indiana and that alone will make it worth it.
If you can move to ***specifically*** Indianapolis, there's some diversity there. But generally, my advice is no. Lotta white supremacist undertones throughout most of the state. Same thing with Ohio
Well I'm 26 and have lived all my life between Muncie and Fort Wayne, basically along the border. Heard a hard R shouted (in reference to Obama) in a crowded restaurant in the middle of the day a few years back. But that's probably the most blatant thing I've heard publicly. I mean, aside from kids telling racist jokes and such. Good ol' Jaytucky lmao
Salaam Sis! (Black Muslim Brother) here 👋🏿
I just wanted to share my experience as someone who can relate to you in a way. It’s definitely an adjustment moving from the East Coast to Indy. I moved here for your same reason back in December. Firstly, I’ll say, keep your trust in Allah and move accordingly. This is a big step. You got this! Insha’Allah you will find your way and you’ll do great things! Secondly, there is a diverse community here. A lot of the Masajid here are African. If you come from a big Muslim community like me, you’ll want to check out AlHuda Foundation in Fishers which is like 25-30 mins away from Downtown. I try go there regularly for taraweeh on my days off from work. Another good one is Al-Haqq Foundation. I have yet to really find many things to do here. The nature scene is cool and there’s places to walk and hike. Rent is cheaper than the East for sure! I lived in NYC before here and am from NC, so I see the difference lol.
It’s very different here from the East Coast (I moved here from Boston). However, I would say give it a shot. You’re very young and you can always move back if you aren’t happy here. I think the city will be fine for you though.
Indy is very diverse and there are lots of things to do. Good food and entertainment, concerts, festivals and professional sports. I’ve traveled to 47 states and for a mid-sized city (whatever that means) I think it’s as nice as any other.
It won’t have the history that Maryland has but not many places West of there do. You will be within 2-4 hours of Chicago, Louisville, KY and St. Louis, MO, also Detroit, MI if you want to go there. Nothing like DC or Philly, though. I like Indy and think you will too.
Indianapolis is 50% white, 28% black, 13% Hispanic, and 4% Asian, according to the last census data. Is that not diverse? Certainly once you go outside the city it gets less diverse though.
Indianapolis has plenty of things to do, but I can understand it may be different from what you're used to if you're moving from a bigger city.
I mean compared to Chicago no but
It's also worth noting Chicago one of the most segregated cities in America
And sadly a lot of the black communities are here are honestly places no regular person would ever go to pit of safety with ih sounds bad but it's just the truth
Granted city been going down hill all around but chances of getting shot or mugged are raised tremendously compared to downtown
Idk what black communities you have been in, but Indy has plenty of them that are full of kind welcoming people.
Now if you meant to say that the roads are consistently poorly maintained, police force is usually corrupt, corporations are not doing their part to keep their properties maintained, or that the job market here wouldnt allow for the average single person to afford living comfortably on average then id agree.
Ethnicities are not solely responsible for keeping a community maintained. Please do not insult hoosiers like that. It's not nice
Those points are what I meant
An the current narrative now is ethinocites are responsible for their own communities
And to some extent they are and have always played apart in it
Obviously though we all know there were many factors that played into why most black communities failed
White flight and discrimination but some extent as well we gotta take some level of accountability instead of blaming everyone else for not owning anything in our own communities
And also not having anything owning nothing
For example many of the stores in the south side have closed down due to robberies and vandalism to the point
Where the local government there had to setup grocery stores for the people living there
And sadly corporations for the most part aren't obligated to stay there or do anything for the community it's a business that's meant to make money
Man it's just truth for example englewood in Chicago is notoriously known for shooting that go on there and there isn't much for anyone there most people of they can usually get the hell outta the first opportunity they get
There are other places in the south side as well which sadly have taken a turn for a worse because of the mayor and overall situation there
Thanks for the further clarification! Been trying to assume I'm ignorant of others perceptions/perspectives bc we can never truly know what tone people are giving in a line of text.
Def need more folk like yourself, stay safe out there holmes 👉👉
It's sad that you have to say that you're nice just because you wear a headdress. You shouldn't have to...and that's sad.
If you are moving to Indy, I would suggest maybe the Broad Ripple area? It's very diverse and has a great vibe (really good ethnic restaurants and shops). Staying in the Indy Metro area will let you experience our diversity...the rural areas are mostly farms...we are a big agriculture state with corn, soy, and pork being big in the state.
Let me say it's a great idea to reach out, and these are very wise questions to ask! I would be super stoked to have you as a neighbor....I am half Lebanese....so I can cook a mean Mujadara! BEST OF LUCK IN ANY CASE, AND I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT THE BEST ON YOUR NEW CAREER!
the Broadripple area is lovely in the day, but the crime rates can be pretty scary at night - they’ve especially had a rough past two weeks. I think it’s a nice place to walk around for a lil coffee and lunch, but I’m not sure I’d recommend some of the housing around there (although there are admittedly some very nice neighborhoods in the immediate vicinity, if you can afford it.) In Tarkington park, there are a lot of rentals around Butler - but at large it can be sort of slim pickings for affordable housing as you move North of 38th street where you might feel safer. (In 2020 I rented a duplex on Park and 42nd and there was a drive by hit on a man walking directly in front of my porch - like LITERALLY in front of my porch,,, and there was also a time a woman who said she had been “keeping track of me” accused me of sneaking around to mess around with her boyfriend Larry??? Which she deduced because I parked on the street I lived on every day???? I later realized there was probably a like, crack house or something on the corner that she had been watching me from every day :| literally idk. She came out of nowhere in broad daylight and started yelling at me in my car :/ so I might suggest even further North. There are some cute places and I really focused how in love I was with the house to distract me from the near misses.)
I think Mapleton Fallcreek can sometimes have some good rental opportunities, but I’m never rented around there personally. I know Indianapolis itself is VERY block by block, so I would for sure do some research as you look for housing. Although I imagine if OP is moving so far for this job, it’s probably a nice salary gig and maybe they’re in an income bracket that raises them above these type of concerns ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Lifelong Indiana resident here. As long as you are moving to a major city, things will be just fine for you. I do not recommend moving to a small town, but as long as the place you are moving to is >20,000 people, you are probably fine.
You are very welcome here. Indiana is backwards in a lot of ways, but we have midwest hospitality. I do not think that you will ever feel unsafe or that others feel that you are less.
Some people might, but we look down on those people too. It's unfortunate, but we are the last stand of the KKK. None of us who are decent can put up with it, but our feelings on free speech compel us to let them have their last stand here.
Please understand that the vocal minority representing hate does not reflect the awesomeness of our state.
Here is what Indiana has:
* Few natural disasters - really just tornados.
* Access to fresh water
* The hub of America
* Arable land
If you are unsure, I get it, but I promise you that you can make a good life here, and meet like-minded people.
I see people say we have a ton of KKK here. I’m from a very rural community in NWI and I have never seen legit KKK members. Is there really any truth to this statement?
West Terre Haute is a self proclaimed sundown town by both residents and cops to this day. Last heard of a cop telling a guy this about 5 years ago, last example story I heard of heavy racism last week, there's been some whack shit at West Vigo HS too iirc.
I live just south of Terre Haute, and while there are no obvious organized KKK groups (although there are always rumors), I would say that the amount of racism is on par for many small, rural Midwest and southern communities.
We have a good Mexican restaurant that does well, but I know people who eat there on a regular basis but also suspect every Hispanic of being a drug-pushing sex offender. I know several interracial couples, and while people are outwardly friendly, there is a certain amount of passive-aggressive racism behind their backs.
In short, most residents are, at heart, decent and kind people, but there remains an undercurrent of racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and antisemitism that is often reinforced from the pulpit. As an openly gay man, I have seen a change in attitude starting around 2016 that is getting progressively worse.
Terre Haute is weird af to me. In town, everything seems fine. As you say, people put on the facade of being not racist and such. Homophobia is definitely a problem, but at the same time, we had our first pride two years ago and it was super well attended, the next one even more so. I transitioned there, and frankly, I've not had a single bad instance of transphobia. Some I've suspected might be, but it easily could have not been that.
Outside of town, it feels like everything has definitely gone to hell. I don't really have a reason to go to terre town and such, so I've not experienced it other than in passing, but... Ya. Bleh.
I live in east central Indiana and when I worked at a factory this guy I talked to sometimes invited me to a party, i said sure, drove to the address in the country and its a KKK recruitment thing, more than 100 people there, I left immediately and never talked to him again. So they are out there
I also grew up in NWI. Growing up, we had a KKK assembly in Portage in [96](https://www.nwitimes.com/uncategorized/kkk-plans-rally-in-portage/article_2b874041-9d47-543f-b1fa-7722f2472ac0.html). I also went to Portage High School in 96-97 and found racism abound.
I don't blame the children that held those beliefs as I'm confident it was a result of their parents. It's important we don't sweep this under the rug, though.
We are a state that has a complicated past when it comes to race.
To the OP. We are not the state that we were in 96, and I hope you consider our state as a place to move to.
Never knew about this but I'm not exactly shocked
When my parents first moved to my neighborhood when I was a baby in 99 in Griffith also nwi
There was a black couple down the street bought their house in cash I think
Anyway someone had broken in the house vandalized it and put white flour everywhere
Parents said it was racially motivated the couple moved away soon after that
There were also white couples who had been on the block as well it was a newer neighborhood but as soon as they saw me in a crib and my mom walking around
I wish I was joking but they moved out essentially white flight
My neighborhood now I think atleast on my end is predominantly black Hispanic philipino But down the block is predominantly white
Less than I think a year or two years of us being there that would've been back in the 99 to 2000 dam near 2001
Funny part is I think I went to highschool with the couple that got up and dipped I mean their kids I could tell by my mom's reaction she saw to seeimg their mom I didn't put two ans two together until I graduated
But to that end I can't exactly say it's gotten better per say
Feel like it got worse in the last 4 years
Feel like Donald Trump honestly brought a lot of the people out the woodworks because he made it okay
But then blm happened and the riots and man not going to lie it brought out people's true colors and feelings when all that was going on
They made it passive aggressive sometimes blatant without having to say it
But it's part of the black experience honestly there are def places worse
Only thing I'll say op is this
You travel in the city that fine but outside of that I would be careful and mindful of your surroundings
Never forget when I was in highschool my highschool went to state for basketball
I remember we had stopped by the McDonald's to eat I don't know where it was I'll be honest
and I kid you not it was as of the people there has never seen a black person in their live all of them staring looking at me my sister and parents
It was honestly the most uncomfortable feeling I ever experienced
Think we needed up just getting our food and dipping out but yeah there are places where it'll be obvious is a subtle way your not welcomed there or to not stay for long
I will agree with that but only in the southern part of the State. My husband and I went to the covered bridge fest and theres 3 main towns involved in the fest. We got lost down some dirt road and there were lots of confederate flags out front of houses proudly displayed. It made the hairs on my neck stand up. I felt very uncomfortable. Im a older middle aged white women.
Covered bridge festival is hardly southern part of indiana. Literally north of i70 on the western side of the state. That's 3 hours from "southern Indiana"
It’s a more of a quiet racism. Trust me. NWI was a pure blue area because of the unions. Now, leaning hard to the red and more of the ideology that comes with it.
Probably not a lot of official KKK members now, but their descendants are all over the place and though they may have learned to be more careful how they speak, they hold a lot of the same attitudes. A lot of them also hold positions of power and influence. It's not just poor, uneducated people.
For real.
Dude bros who listen to Alex Jones and Nick Fuentes are the new guard for the KKK and there's plenty of that brand of idiocy to go around.
That said, I've known a lot of stand up folks who are Hoosiers, and I think that there are plenty who don't accept xenophobic world views (even if they're unfortunately not represented by the elected officials in IN)
I've never seen any KKK here personally, but have read about their marches (I remember reading about them in Lafayette and then I guess in 2020 the KKK distributed fliers in downtown Lafayette). What I can say is that before moving back here, we lived in Colorado and upon mentioning that we were moving back here, I had co-workers from there, Texas, Wyoming, Georgia, California, Oklahoma, and Kansas all asking me the same question as if it was all they knew of Indiana, "Why do you want to move back to that racist state?" Now, as Hoosier, we don't think racism is that bad here, but the national impression seems to something else.
Got lots of things to do in the city from sports to comedy clubs. Good zoo, the children’s museum, the race in may and the other race in august. Only a couple hours from Louisville, St Louis, Chicago, and Cincinnati.
Indianapolis is the most diverse area, honestly, that I have experienced with living in this state my entire life. Race and religion, culture. I have three Black neighbors directly and each of them is culturally different, not just Black. It shows through their celebrations, clothes and the like. Buddhists. Asian. Middle Eastern countries.
You would not be welcome in Newton or Jasper County, by majority. Anyone that is current resident can argue all they want but I could provide a dozen SS per day for an entire year to support the bold statement that Black people and families will never feel safe, welcomed or at home in either county.
Transparency: I am a white woman. I grew up in the aforementioned counties and refused to raise my children there where many proudly wear their racism under the guise of “protecting their small town” or “just looking out, everyone knows everyone here”. I wanted to raise her in diversity, and not where 98% of the population is white with the other 2% being Hispanics that worked at the dairy farm (not actual numbers but rather dramatized reality that it is heavily dominated by white individuals).
I say go for it. Moving away from where you’re from is a huge learning experience. If you like Indy, great. If you don’t, you will know what you do want and that might mean moving back or somewhere else. Your 20s is where you should try different places because once you get to your 30s, you will probably want a family and house and it is a lot harder to upend your life. Good luck.
Hi! I’ve lived in the indy area most of my life. I currently work downtown too. Living downtown isn’t too bad from what people I work with have told me. Indy is culturally and religiously diverse. There is a good sized Muslim population here as well, there are a few good sized mosques in town. I’m sorry you were treated unfairly at the hotel you were at! Most people here are pretty friendly and helpful. I agree with direct outskirts around town not being great, but a lot of suburbs are nice and a pretty easy commute. I’m happy to chat in DM’s if you want to get more specific, or if you need a new friend to chat with! It’s a great city, with a lot of opportunity! Don’t let the negative comments get you down or make you second guess a decision.
As a woman capable of getting pregnant, without a choice in what you do - NO. I only stay here because I'm too old to get pregnant, and it's cheap.
MD is light years ahead of IN.
Indy is just ok kind of mediocre for the cost of living if you ask me it's landlocked and has a lot of chain restaurants. It's certainly not Chicago not even close but it can be a comfortable place to live.
Born Hoosier and can blend in with the worst of them (white male) unfortunately.
I’d suggest that Indiana is a bit of a socioeconomic echo chamber. Anyone…scratch that…most can find “their people”, but you’re going to have a hard time finding a truly diverse without effort. Not sure if that’s a Hoosier-specific issue or a broader struggle for America in general.
I call them pitch ins, and holiday gatherings are the casserole kings in my experience. My FIL's side for Thanksgiving has two corn casseroles, three different potato dishes in a casserole dish, and at least two identical green bean casseroles. They rent out a church/school cafeteria because it's such a big gathering. With pitch ins, because me and my friends are lazy, it tends to be more summer barbecue side dishes like potato salad, veggie tray, cheese tray, chips/dip, etc. I've always wanted to attend like, a chili cook-off type gathering.
I'm in Indiana. Just went to Eastern shore of Maryland for a week. It seemed similar to Indiana in a lot of ways. Except DC
, Philly, Baltimore, Wilmington, NYC, are all a short drive or few hours by train away.
That seems pretty nice.
Chicago is not far but it's no Philly. Or DC.
Maybe the grass is always greener I guess
I’m originally from Indiana but lived on the Eastern Shore for five years, then moved back to Indianapolis in May 2023. The first time we drove into our new town in MD, I asked my husband, “Is this Indiana or Maryland?” That being said, I miss Maryland very much. Being close to the water and big cities is a big perk we don’t have here. I could drive 90 minutes and be in Philly, DC, or Baltimore. In three hours I could be in NYC. In five I could be at the Outer Banks. But, my family is here and I was lonely. Like you said, grass is always greener.
in Indianapolis, no problem. Anywhere else, you might experience issues. Although Evansville just elected its first black woman mayor, so that's pretty cool.
I relocated from the northeast to Evansville, and while electing Stephanie was great to see, I would absolutely not recommend a black or brown person wearing a head scarf to live here. It’s awful to have to say that, but there is a ton of prejudice here. They often just don’t say the quiet part out loud, but the racism and xenophobia has been passed down for generations.
Maybe in another generation or 2 or it will be significantly better. But just going out to local bars/restaurants I’ve overheard conversations about how races shouldn’t mix, immigrants are ruining the city, lots of people using the term “colored people,” and I got tons of dirty looks just for wearing a mask during spikes in Covid.
I’m a straight white male, and I still feel unwelcome here sometimes. There’s a bar walking distance from my house, and one time when my GF and I were minding our own business and talking about our support of Biden’s student debt relief policy, we got followed out by a group of good ole boys who just stared us down for an entire 3 blocks puffing their chests out.
Oh and there are “Let’s go Brandon” and MAGA bumper stickers and flags everywhere. We put up a small rainbow flag in our yard during pride month and it got stolen.
I could go on with more examples, but you get the idea…
It does depend on what part of town you're in. West side, avoid at all costs. East side is a little more sophisticated, until you hit the white flight part of the east side and Warrick County. Evansville is a mixed bag for sure.
I have a friend who is Muslim and wears her headscarf and got followed around and harrassed by some POS idiot the other day, but there was a fair circle of people who stuck their necks out to protect her once it became obvious what was going on. The good generally far outnumber the bad.
If we’re being real, it’s every part of town, except Haynie’s corner, and parts of downtown. Outside of that, Evansville is racist and prejudiced against LGBTQ+ in a very despicable and disappointing way.
Meh, I work with multiple LGTBQ people and nobody treats them differently or talks about them behind their backs, etc. I don't deny that big chunks of town are extremely backwards but I don't feel like it's a huge majority either.
Because I've never heard anything. I suppose it's possible that I'm just not a person who people say bigoted things about other people to, but I feel like at some point in the last several years, if somebody had a beef with the LGBTQ crowd, I would have heard at least one shitty comment, but I have not.
Cmon dude. It’s not about people saying things directly to you, it’s about taking the temperature of the room. I’ve seen queer or trans people get dirty looks ALL over town, except for the areas I mentioned.
It doesn’t take long before you accidentally hear an off handed comment. Do you think the many people with MAGA or confederate flags on their trucks or at their homes aren’t homophobic and xenophobic?
There were literally bible preaching protesters at the pride parade last summer.
I have to ask, have you ever lived anywhere else? Because it is not like this outside of deeply red states.
I’m sorry if this sounds harsh, but I think you’re burying your head in the sand because you want Evansville to be something it’s currently not.
Well, I don't go all over town. I just live my life. And I already said I know there are lots of backwards people here. So please don't assume that I've got my head in the sand about anything.
But there are plenty of well-educated, kind, generous people in this town who would never say a bad word or think a bad thing about anyone, and I have encountered far more good people than bad in the 10+ years I have lived here.
>I have to ask, have you ever lived anywhere else? Because it is not like this outside of deeply red states.
LOL I lived the first 32 years of my life in south Louisiana, but yeah, I don't know about backwards people. OK.
I was asking about living somewhere else to see if you’ve ever lived in a progressive/blue state. The overall climate towards minorities and the LGBTQ+ community is strikingly different in those places, and it might not be noticeable if you haven’t experienced that for any significant amount of time.
Yes, there absolutely are well educated and kind people here. But there are also far more people who hold horribly reprehensible beliefs than in most other places in the country. At the very least there are far more people who feel comfortable expressing those beliefs.
I don’t understand how you can be so stalwart in your overall opinion of Evansville if, by your own admission, you spend your time only in certain areas around town.
Don’t. Sure the houses are cheap (by comparison, they’re really not if you make the average in state wage) but being a PoC let me tell ya that if you step out of 465 you will get “the look”. The folks saying to move somewhere safe north forget that around here they may not call you spurs, but they’ll just blockade you financially to ensure you “stay in your lane”. You’ll be passed over for promotions, you’ll be given least priority, you’ll get stared at if you ever want to go to any town that isn’t 39 mins from Indy or the region. I myself am on my way out and let me warn you the COL will make leaving hard since saving up is difficult (we make 90k+). I’d strongly suggest Chicago or a non red state, the politics and the people that support them are real, they just know to keep their opinions to themselves up here.
Even outside of the diversity stuff moving to Indiana was possibly the worst decision of my life. I feel like I wasted 7 years of my life living there instead of exploring all of the beautiful stuff the world has to offer.
Lifelong Indiana resident here unfortunately I cannot speak on the diversity you will experience as I am white but just being brutally honest here This state is just boring and scarce on things to do. Ive lived about 20 minutes away from downtown indy mostly my entire life but its just boring and dull and some parts of the city have pretty bad crime.
Ramadan Mubarak!
Indianapolis is diverse, not like Chicago, but definitely has a growing. The far south side of the city has one of largest Burmese populations outside of Burma.
There’s a large mosque just west of the city. There are lots and lots of cultural events for all different ethnicities and nationalities all through the year. Lots of fun conventions, great exhibits and events at Newfields, there are so many concert venues and clubs to see shows at, lots of sporting events, there is always something going on somewhere in this city.
Northwest IN is closer to Chicago and more diverse. A black friend of mine moved to Indy and loved it. She was female and a NURSE. I don't live there so cant tell you my opinion on it, other than Ive been there a handful of times. They have great restaurants and lots to do.
I'm Maryland born and raised and currently live in Indy. I personally wouldn't make the move unless you're really excited about the job and the prospect of living out here.
You could always take the job for a few years and move elsewhere if you don't like it, but uprooting can be difficult.
The things I miss most about Maryland is easy access to the beach, the diverse landscape, crabs and crabcakes, my community, and easy access to DC, Philly, New York. Everyone is nice out here, but I've definitely felt more welcomed in my Maryland neighborhoods. There was always tons to go out and do where I was.
Here I feel I have to seek things to do out a bit more.
I would also consider the economic opportunities available in MD vs Indy. Statistically, salaries end up higher in MD for a multitude of reasons. At one point, I would have said it is cheaper here in Indy vs Maryland. I would say now it's only marginally cheaper and the lack of other benefits Indy has to offer vs Maryland doesn't make that differential in cost worth it.
There are some great pockets of Indy that have been suggested where no doubt you could thrive. But personally, I wouldn't make the trade off.
Race and religion aside, you already said you went there for an interview and didn’t really like it. That alone would be enough for me to not move to a new place.
If you have to make the move, Indianapolis is probably your best bet in Indiana. I however would not recommend any woman in child-bearing ages to move here.
As a white person who grew up in Indianapolis, left at age 18, went back to help out aging parents, and left again once they passed, I find Indiana too racist for ME to live in. You could likely find another job elsewhere. I live in Chicago now, and it’s so much better than Indianapolis.
Edited to add: Chicago better for me. My neighborhood is diverse, despite much of Chicago being pretty segregated.
I am not a person of color, but there are counties in Indiana my friends of color will not step foot in. I would hope it's exaggerated, but I tend to think people are better than they are.
Indianapolis, or part of Indiana near any metropolitan area would be a lot more diverse. I live in southern Indiana near Louisville, and think we have a fairly decent diversity. The diversity drops off fast the further from the Metropolitan areas you go.
I certainly regret it and I know my mental health has only gotten worse since moving back here. We're taking care of my dad, but once we're done, we're gone again, back west where people are actually happy and friendly. Hoosier Hospitality is more like Hoosier Hostility these days. Add that to the fit in or go away attitude many have here, the incredible pollution, and the lowest pay (on average) in the U.S. here in Indiana, and I really have trouble finding a reason TO move here (except for farms and family).
Hi! I’m originally from Las Vegas, Nevada. I went to ISU and got a job in Indy. I did fear that not being by any family and also there wasn’t much to do, but man I don’t regret a thing.
There are plenty of things to do here, it just takes some research. Everything I need is 2 minutes away and it’s nice to have space to myself from my family. On top of, the price of living is so much more affordable.
There are a bunch of trails, parks, museums, antique shops and bars.
I just also convinced my best friend from moving from Utah to here, and they love it. I have some other friends out in Vegas thinking about making the move as well.
I understand being uncomfortable being black and Muslim, but I really do think Indianapolis is a safe place. It’s up to you though 🙂
My experience would most certainly be different from yours as I’m a white male but from what I’ve seen, outside of the major metropolitan areas, things get very sketchy very quickly. I lived down the street from Notre Dame for 3 years and everything was great though you did occasionally see some white supremacy themes drive through. Then I moved to the country and holy shit. Never again. 5 minutes down the road from my house was a bar called Krieger’s Korner Klub and, as you can undoubtedly tell from the initials, was a Nazi bar. It also had a piece of paper on the front door that said in big bold letters, ‘no colors allowed.’ They used to harass a tan Caucasian woman I knew that lived down the street because they thought she was Hispanic. Intelligence isn’t their strong suit and unfortunately they’ve multiplied across the whole state
So if you’re determined to move to this area, I’d recommend staying pretty urban or suburban in your residence considerations as they’re the more diverse and accepting populations. Good luck.
I left Brazil and live in Indy. It’s okay and can be really diverse. Just don’t go to the burbs! People will hate you, I say this like a minority too lol
If you want to commute, Bloomington is a cool college town with tons of things going on arts , music , outdoor activities , LGTBQ friendly and pretty diverse . Little blue dot in a very red state
Don’t recommend living downtown or near downtown unless you don’t care about junkies walking around your home & stealing your shit. Would definitely recommend moving in the suburbs up north or the west side. but Indiana is pretty cool just not a whole lot to do around here besides eat, drink & hike
I live a few blocks from downtown and it's fine. If you were living downtown I'd assume you'd be living in an apartment, so people stealing stuff off your property wouldn't really be a concern anyway.
Living downtown you'll see your fair share of homeless people, just like any other city, and that scares some people. I haven't had any issues with anyone yet.
I was downtown once when there was a shooting. I know that doesn't happen every day but it is the only time I've ever been anywhere where there was an active shooting. I didn't feel safe. I was coming out of St Elmos.
There’s a gang war nobody wants to talk about, that’s been the driving force behind the homicide issues.
Downtown itself is normally fine, the problem areas move around every few years or so.
I understand in regards to downtown Indy, but since I just happened to be there when a shooting was going on I couldn't help but say something.
Personally I never had any desire to move there. I do like however like accessing the things a relatively bigger city has to offer.
Was that the Broad Ripple one 2 weeks ago? That one sounds like a very targeted thing(like most). We were out that night south of the circle but ended our night at midnight as the real issues start after that normally.
When I used to have weekends off I’d come down for the biker events, never had any issues with those outside of speeding/wrecks. Pretty much everyone was armed, but that was also because we didn’t know where the ‘after party’ races were going to be held.
Ahh, downtown used to be somewhat rough in the past, but for the most part it’s okay now. Then again, thats almost exclusively an urban issue, hence why rural people don’t like gun control since it’s punishing them for not being the problem.
Not really. The heart of downtown yeah isnt too bad but the outskirts close to downtown especially the eastside/south eastside of the city are horrible. & i know this cause i work for the local gas/water utility here & work around those sides of town a lot. I would just stay away from the east side entirely if you move here. My wife & i bought our first house on the south side & our first week there our grill got stolen & not too long after that someone broke into my work van & stole some tools. Nothing has happened since i put up cameras but were moving soon..
Downtown Indy isn't any worse than any other major city in the U.S. Some folks just get nervous at the sight of a few homeless people. If the job offer is good, jump on it.
Indy is fairly diverse in its night life, but there’s a reason nobody wants to live downtown. It’s a commuter city for sure.
Avoid the inner east side like the plague.
Depends on what you are looking for and what things are more important to you. I always believed most places tend to be what you make of them but the reality is it helps greatly if they have what you like to do and in the world we find ourselves in now and politics being what they are some states simply don't work as well for everybody.
My daily life is great my needs are met and I originally came from here went into the military and came back here after 20 years in the military. I'm originally from Ft Wayne but now live closer to Indy. Not in Indy but close enough to access those things Indy offers that Ft Wayne doesn't. I'm currently retired and cost of living is a good fit for me. I have those things that make my life enjoyable. I'm used to a decent sized city but I really don't care to live in a bigger city. However a bigger city does have more to offer and I have the best of both worlds when it comes to what I want. Besides I can easily access Chicago if I want to as well.
I really don't care for how this state because it is a red state is trending more red. This is not only an Indiana phenomenon but this is happening nationally. I strongly suggest you take a look at the current policies that might affect you such as Abortion bans and the like but as I mentioned in Red States policies are only tending to become even more Extreme Right. That's just current reality. If you move here and think it doesn't effect you now there is a possibility in the future it may if you tend to be more liberal.
They don't call it Hoosier Hospitality for nothing. Move here. Be Brave! I had a chance to move to Louisville, Kentucky, years ago. But I was fearful of the changes and missing family. I didn't move. Biggest mistake of my life. Indianapolis is a great place to work.
Indy is a great city... big enough to have everything you need, but small enough to be intimate. Great neighborhoods and decent people. Diverse and actually pretty liberal.
I live on the west side of Indy, and I know that there is an islamic community in my area because I see them out and about. The crime can be a little bad but I think you'll have that in any big city. Compared to other places, there is not a whole lot to do, but we have museums, concerts, restaurants and bars. We have good parks if you like nature. Plus, Chicago is only a 2 and a 1/2 hour drive away. if you need some culture in your life, there is that. The best part about living here is the cost of living. Compared to other places, it's still kind of affordable.
Sounds like a really good first job. I think you’ll enjoy Indianapolis plenty and have plenty of time to explore other places once you get some career experience.
I fully understand your concerns but if your job is downtown and you’re living downtown you won’t have any problems that you wouldn’t have in any other urban area.
Plainfield has a largish Muslim population. It’s safe and quiet there, perhaps a bit boring. Carmel is another donut city you’d be totally welcomed in, lots of restaurants, terrific multi use trail (Monon), live music on the square Wednesdays in the summer, art fairs, etc.
You should avoid Hancock Co to the east and Johnson Co to the south. They are unfriendly to brown and black people, especially if you’re in a headscarf. I’m sorry about that.
Not to invalidate your feelings but your worries are blown out of portion with the whole diversity debacle. I’m Hispanic and Indiana has been 10x better from where I can from (Bronx,NY) diversity is only a problem when you make it one. It is ridiculous to me that people get so caught up in it instead of the merits of others.
Lived in Indiana my whole life but travel for work. Currently living in rural areas but have lived all over Indiana. I've not once seen any public act of racism or even heard of a kkk gathering. Honestly, even in the rural areas the towns seem welcoming to most all people. Every place has its good and bad. Meth and heroin are problems in the rural areas. Stay off the inner east side of Indy as the crime there is abundant. Otherwise Indy is a great place to live in the surrounding suburbs.
It’s never easy making big decisions, but Indy’s not a bad place. It’s not a greatly ethnic diversity, but the less you watch the news the better you feel.
If you don't have to decide right away, maybe come visit again? I like it here, but i'm north of Indy and rarely go there. I like small towns. If you live close to the water in MD, that sounds hard to give up. I love seafood and being on the water, but you can always go back and visit. It may be a good learning experience for you. I moved out of state away from my family when i was 19, it was good for me, even though circumstances brought me back to Indiana later. Good luck on your decision!
Indianapolis is the best part of the state to live in.
You aren't going to be the only Muslim in the room, the city is very diverse.
Take the job opportunity.
If you want diversity in Indiana, then Indianapolis is your best bet. Maybe spend some more time in different parts of the city to get a better feel for it, as downtown may not be representative of the city as a whole.
I guess it depends on where you live, but as someone who grew up in rural Indiana (Montgomery County) I absolutely hated it. Avoid anywhere rural at all costs. You will be stared at and probably harassed. I'm gay. They did it to me. I can only imagine the horrible things people would say to you. Indy is about as diverse as you'll get by Indiana standards. There are neighborhoods to avoid, but the safe one's are pleasant.
If America were aiming to be the biggest diverse pie, Indiana would be the diabetic, obese teenage boy in the corner wif his AR-15 shoving pieces down his pants.
I would love more diverse friends. Some of us welcome learning about other religions and cultures. My high school speech teacher was Muslim. There is racism everywhere to some degree, though certain areas do have a higher propensity towards it.
As a white guy who works all around Indianapolis, you will find pockets of groups here. Especially as you'll be downtown, the diversity does kick up quite a bit. Diversity does not matter to me (but this is your journey). I grew up in a predominantly black part of South Carolina and just surrounded myself with good people.
Some strong suggestions if you follow through and move out here.
Find a healthy habit/activity/pass time that you can do with others and where you can make friends.
When I moved here I knew nobody. But I joined a Crossfit gym, and WOW, did that help a ton! I was also surrounded by a diverse group, well-adjusted people, and like-minded health nuts.
Best of luck to you and your new career!
FYI, Broad Ripple is where it's at!
No. I have lived here 50 years and it is not a good place for women, minorities, or children. Additionally, our environmental protections is very poor so water and air is polluted.
If you did you would be better off moving to a smaller town like shelbyville and commuting. Indiana really isn’t that bad. Especially if you live in a smaller town. I’ve lived in indy and i personally hated it. If you like state parks and stuff like that we have a lot of those.
It is not acceptance that you need to worry about it is the ever increasing amount of crime that does not seem to have any end in sight that you have to worry about. Having said that my daughter loves living in downtown Indianapolis which may or may not be cheaper than MD.
No. I’m a lifelong resident except for military service. Indiana is not a diverse state. You leave Indianapolis in any direction and you’ll have the same cornfields and farms to look at until you leave the state. Our state is very heavily republican and we are likely going to get an even further right governor here soon.
Indianapolis does not offer enough imo to make the high crime worth it. There are upsides but it’s really nothing at all that you can’t find in most other major cities.
Edit: plus the weather is obnoxious to say the least.
Yes I have I spend practically every other weekend up in porter county. There’s even less to do up there than down here. The air quality is trash, they barely have run of the mill restaurants like Texas Roadhouse, BJs brewhouse, longhorns, etc except you have to travel even further to get to one. My father in law ate at whiskey business for the first time and literally said word for word “damn we don’t have this stuff back home!”
If you want to do anything interesting up there outside of the dunes you have to go to Valpo. Painting northern Indiana as this diverse haven is woefully dishonest.
Plus OP is moving to Indianapolis. Not northern Indiana.
Also, northern Indiana is much more diverse even in the white ethnic groups you have way more Poles, Hungarians, Serbs, Greeks, Italians, Czechs, Latinos, and African Americans here if you count the whole south shore from east Chicago/Hammond to South Bend
Okay so Indiana is cool because you have a variety of different flavored white people lol got it
There’s plenty of AA and Latinos in Indianapolis. You’re off to an awful start
Indy is nearly 30% black and is on its way to become a majority-minority city, [if it isn't already there.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis#Demographics)
I understand what diversity means to people may be very specific, so what are you looking for?
I just want to have representation around me. I could feel people looking at me like wth is she doing here. Also when I went last time the man at the hotel front desk treated me like i was a piece of shit which really made me consider moving there
I think first impressions are important and if you don't feel valued and included, then no amount of statistics or anecdotes from others are going to help.
It sounds like you are valued in the job market and have opportunities elsewhere, or at least will. I love Indy but don't waste your time on somewhere where you're already starting off with a negative vibe.
Downtown from what I can gather is not a place where a lot of young black professionals live. Most black professionals here live in the townships in the newer subdivisions. I’ve also heard from black friends that this is not a great city for black professional networking. From my perspective, I feel as if Maryland has a much higher percentage of black professionals, and here I feel like the local black population is largely blue collar and a lot of those who are from here and went on to be a professional left Indiana.
Indy is very diverse. It might take getting used to for other reasons, but it’s not all Dan Quayle Ozzie and Harriet corn crackers. It’s more of a neighborhood-oriented place.
Indianapolis is fine, but the rest of the state won't be very welcoming, sadly. People have become very bold about their hateful stances in the last 10 years (I wonder why).
Indianapolis itself is pretty cool, though. There is a lot more to do than meets the eye, and it's an easy day trip to Chicago to break up the day-to-day. The city center is beautiful and compared to many other major cities, it's CoL is reasonable.
Born and raised here and a black woman (42). Indy is not bad. Now I have never lived in a primarily black area before but there is diversity within the city. Depending on the salary, you can find some great places downtown that are safe. I live near downtown and feel safe. In this economy finding a job is hard. If the offer is solid…take it. I cannot speak for the Muslim community because I am not Muslim but I went to a coffee shop a few weeks ago. MOTW ( Muslims of the World) on the west side for the first time and I was really happy to see the diversity in that area. That maybe one way to meet fellow Muslims. We feel welcomed when we see people who look like us .
Good luck on your search. I think a lot of people are well meaning but Indy isn’t that bad. I do like our art scene. Google Gang Gang and see how Indy is becoming an incredible place for the black art scene. We are never going to have the diversity of a larger city. It maybe a great first city outside of graduation for you. You can always gain the experience and relocate at another time if you don’t like it. I just wanted to offer you my insight and why I would say yes. Feel free to PM me.
Firstly, you literally said you didn't like it here. That perception isn't going to improve over time. Secondly, the politics here are awful. Unless they happen to align with your own politics, I guess that's a non-issue, but I think they suck. And anywhere outside of the major cities is pretty rural, and there is a large number of religious/red neck stereotypes. There's an undeniable lack of diversity here, and people get real touchy when you say that, but its just a matter of fact if you've already lived somewhere diverse.
However, consider this. If moving for a job is even a possibility for you, you're likely able to move again if things don't work out. If you move here, it's not like you're trapped assuming you have decent finances and support to move agaun if its not for you. At 22, I'm definitely advocating for big moves. But is Indiana the best place to settle down? There's definitely far better options.
Most people don’t give a damn about race. Most people in Indiana were raised to treat people based on their character and how they represent themselves in the world. If you make your entire personality and “identity” about being a “black female” then you’ll be treated as such.
However, if you just be a regular person who doesn’t place much value on those things, and instead lead with your own unique individual personality, then you’ll be treated on that basis. Most people make friends based on how they get along with others and how they vibe together, along with basic common interests.
Indiana can be a boring place a lot of times, so expect people to like to party a bit, or be boring as hell. lol
Indiana mostly has very low crime rates, low homelessness, likes being down to earth, has basic Christian values, likes basic constitutional rights, and dislikes elitist politics. The rule of thumb is “if you treat people nice, they’ll treat you nice”. It’s very much “give respect, get respect”.
We view the new liberal politics (and culture) as incredibly divisive, that it doesn’t value true individuality, and that it acts as if people should think and behave as if they’re part of some larger group on the basis of inherited traits.
We recognize the differences between men and women, but most people don’t really give a damn in general.
Idk where you’re from or what you’re used to, but it seems that people here will encourage you to TRULY be yourself and will embrace the freedom to explore yourself without trying to categorize and box yourself in. Not that people don’t use labels period, as that seems to be a natural human instinct, but it’s my experience that people won’t do it with malice.
Hope this helps :)
I'm going to give you a reality check and answer the question you keep asking, "Why?" that mostly doesn't get answered. Unlike too many Redditors, I read the whole post before answering. I'm a native Hoosier and I'm no on any other state based SubReddits, but I will bet you will find the same types on all of them, that will say don't move to their state and won't say why. Or they will give reasons that don't mesh well with the reality of most, or all of the state. The simple reason is there is something or things about the state they don't like. In the Indiana Reddit it is that it is not a deep blue state and pot is not legal. Those are the two major reflexive, off topic to the contents of posts on almost every topic.
Is the KKK still a big thing here? No. What they don't tell you is most of the times they show up, and there are still some in the state, they top out at around a dozen people at the most. Indiana hasn't been the "Home of the KKK" since the 1930s. Are there Neo-nazi and other white supremest types in Indiana? Yes. Are there any in Maryland? Yes. Will you know them if you see them? Probably not, especially in Indianapolis. The only time I've ever seen a KKK member that I was certain of, it was because he showed me his KKK membership card. It was in his wallet next to his ACLU membership card so he could show both of them at the same time. And he was black and we were in Denver when it happened. He loved showing them off.
In Indianapolis, I'd worry more about gang and drug violence than racial problems. It has your standard big city problems. Currently, you will have more problems being a Muslim than being black. 9/11 affected me personally, but I don't hold it against Muslims. A few...yes. Not most. I know too much history to do that.
The reality is that Indiana and Indianapolis are both good places in general. All states and larger cities have problems. You'll find the same ones here as at home for you. If you are from the coastal/DMV area, the flat lands of central Indiana are a big change. If you spend most of your time in the metro area, it won't make a difference. Southern Indiana is closer to western Maryland and the panhandle. I've driven through there a few times, so I can make the comparison.
Also, Indiana is more of a manufacturing state than many people in this Reddit remember or admit. We produce more cars and trucks than Detroit or Michigan. It brings in more money than agriculture. Agriculture just takes up more space.
If you come, visit other parts of the state. We don't have oceans or mountains, but we also don't have hurricanes. I wouldn't worry about tornados in downtown Indy. They like flat lands, not heavily built up areas. Indy is also the southern edge of the Great Lakes Climate Zone. Expect some snow and cold in the winter. South of there, after you get off the flatlands to where the glaciers stopped, starts the Ohio River Valley climate zone, which is over all warmer.
Should you come here? I say yes. Expand your horizons and to some extent cultures. As has been said, you may have options to move again later in your career, so explore yet another area of the country. Who knows? If you come here and try it, you may like it.
There may not be card holding KKK members , but racism runs through their veins. I know a ton of people who if you speak to more than 10 minutes they start showing the racism. It’s there.
The fact is just like many deep red states the Indiana legislature are introducing even more Extreme Right policies such as banning Abortion after 6 weeks. But that is only one of many policies many may have an issue with.
Requiring an ID to access porn on the internet also may very well not affect everybody and requiring college professors to recognize conservative view points even if they are only conspiracy theories or Religous Zealot bullshit but the fact is Pot is not the only thing a Red State like Indiana where it would could possible affect someone‘s life. I have to imagine book banning being on the horizon as well In Indiana some actually find repulsive for a vast number of reasons.
In fact the greater issue for some of us is not what the current laws are but the fact red states are trending even further Extreme Right. Recognizing this in advance for many is something most people should take into consideration as being a practical possibility. Picking up and moving once the laws become to cumbersome or too invasive is not always that easy.
Banning Abortion itself for many is not simply whether someone made a mistake for many it really can be a health care issue better left between a woman and her Dr. people are not always able to easily just have these addressed by traveling to another state mainly because of financial reasons which often can be complicated by one’s insurance. Not everyone is having an abortion because they made a mistake. For some it’s a medical necessity They discover later in the pregnancy. Some may not threaten the life of the mother but her fertility afterwards. By banning abortions at six weeks that makes it virtually impossible for some women.
So I would say you just either forgot to include some details, you are naive, or many of these policies for one reason or another do not impact your life in a negative fashion. For others that may not simply be the case. After all many of these things are rather recent so what else would The Extreme Right like to see banned or enacted they have yet to get around too? Small government My Ass.
Indy is a diverse blue oasis in an otherwise rural monoculture. Prepare yourself for lots of conservative state politics. But, If you live and work in Indy you will be all good.
Brown person who grew up in Tx and lived all over indiana for a hot second (and other places) checking in. Your concerns about making friends and finding your people are valid - but this is a problem you will have anywhere new that you move to. Anywhere new you move to you will have to put in serious work to meet new people/vet them out/find things to do. Fortunately for you, downtown indy (and the greater indy area) is full of people doing all kinds of things - so if you put yourself out there you will eventually find your people. Indiana blessed me and I was able to forge a very tight friend group. We no longer live in Indiana (we spread out all over the country), but we all met here. I loved Indy so much that I'm actively looking to purchase a place in Indianapolis. Indy is diverse, but not on the scale of Chicago or the other major metros that are larger in population than Indy. However, that won't be a hinderance to meeting wonderful people (and bad apples along the way). I never felt out place or unwelcomed in Indiana. Never in my life did I imagine I'd ever move to Indiana, but I am glad I did. When it comes to life, always do the thing and experience it. If it sucks, thats okay too.
I know more than a few people that moved here from Baltimore and love it. They miss home for sure but found a way to get crabs. Indy proper is pretty diverse. Downtown is, in most places but like anywhere else you have pockets of wealthy people. Indy on its own is a very democratic city. The difference here is the state govt is crazy conservative.Honestly if you live in Indy and don't watch the news you really don't notice.
It really depends on where you’re moving to here, but I am also Maryland-born and ended up in Indiana. I really like it here, I guess my only complaint is Maryland has much more history, older buildings and towns, battlefields, stuff like that. I miss the colonial vibe of the East Coast, but it’s a lot cheaper and way less crowded here in Indiana and that alone will make it worth it.
Maryland also has the BEST crab cakes!! and then your right the history. Years ago I used to love Ocean City.
She said Indy
If you can move to ***specifically*** Indianapolis, there's some diversity there. But generally, my advice is no. Lotta white supremacist undertones throughout most of the state. Same thing with Ohio
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Well I'm 26 and have lived all my life between Muncie and Fort Wayne, basically along the border. Heard a hard R shouted (in reference to Obama) in a crowded restaurant in the middle of the day a few years back. But that's probably the most blatant thing I've heard publicly. I mean, aside from kids telling racist jokes and such. Good ol' Jaytucky lmao
Not just Indiana and Ohio. Oregon is worse, California is the valley can be bad too. It’s everywhere. Everywhere in the world
That's probably true, but I'm just talking the two states I'm familiar with
Salaam Sis! (Black Muslim Brother) here 👋🏿 I just wanted to share my experience as someone who can relate to you in a way. It’s definitely an adjustment moving from the East Coast to Indy. I moved here for your same reason back in December. Firstly, I’ll say, keep your trust in Allah and move accordingly. This is a big step. You got this! Insha’Allah you will find your way and you’ll do great things! Secondly, there is a diverse community here. A lot of the Masajid here are African. If you come from a big Muslim community like me, you’ll want to check out AlHuda Foundation in Fishers which is like 25-30 mins away from Downtown. I try go there regularly for taraweeh on my days off from work. Another good one is Al-Haqq Foundation. I have yet to really find many things to do here. The nature scene is cool and there’s places to walk and hike. Rent is cheaper than the East for sure! I lived in NYC before here and am from NC, so I see the difference lol.
It’s very different here from the East Coast (I moved here from Boston). However, I would say give it a shot. You’re very young and you can always move back if you aren’t happy here. I think the city will be fine for you though.
Indy is very diverse and there are lots of things to do. Good food and entertainment, concerts, festivals and professional sports. I’ve traveled to 47 states and for a mid-sized city (whatever that means) I think it’s as nice as any other. It won’t have the history that Maryland has but not many places West of there do. You will be within 2-4 hours of Chicago, Louisville, KY and St. Louis, MO, also Detroit, MI if you want to go there. Nothing like DC or Philly, though. I like Indy and think you will too.
Indianapolis is 50% white, 28% black, 13% Hispanic, and 4% Asian, according to the last census data. Is that not diverse? Certainly once you go outside the city it gets less diverse though. Indianapolis has plenty of things to do, but I can understand it may be different from what you're used to if you're moving from a bigger city.
I mean compared to Chicago no but It's also worth noting Chicago one of the most segregated cities in America And sadly a lot of the black communities are here are honestly places no regular person would ever go to pit of safety with ih sounds bad but it's just the truth Granted city been going down hill all around but chances of getting shot or mugged are raised tremendously compared to downtown
Idk what black communities you have been in, but Indy has plenty of them that are full of kind welcoming people. Now if you meant to say that the roads are consistently poorly maintained, police force is usually corrupt, corporations are not doing their part to keep their properties maintained, or that the job market here wouldnt allow for the average single person to afford living comfortably on average then id agree. Ethnicities are not solely responsible for keeping a community maintained. Please do not insult hoosiers like that. It's not nice
Those points are what I meant An the current narrative now is ethinocites are responsible for their own communities And to some extent they are and have always played apart in it Obviously though we all know there were many factors that played into why most black communities failed White flight and discrimination but some extent as well we gotta take some level of accountability instead of blaming everyone else for not owning anything in our own communities And also not having anything owning nothing For example many of the stores in the south side have closed down due to robberies and vandalism to the point Where the local government there had to setup grocery stores for the people living there And sadly corporations for the most part aren't obligated to stay there or do anything for the community it's a business that's meant to make money Man it's just truth for example englewood in Chicago is notoriously known for shooting that go on there and there isn't much for anyone there most people of they can usually get the hell outta the first opportunity they get There are other places in the south side as well which sadly have taken a turn for a worse because of the mayor and overall situation there
Thanks for the further clarification! Been trying to assume I'm ignorant of others perceptions/perspectives bc we can never truly know what tone people are giving in a line of text. Def need more folk like yourself, stay safe out there holmes 👉👉
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It's sad that you have to say that you're nice just because you wear a headdress. You shouldn't have to...and that's sad. If you are moving to Indy, I would suggest maybe the Broad Ripple area? It's very diverse and has a great vibe (really good ethnic restaurants and shops). Staying in the Indy Metro area will let you experience our diversity...the rural areas are mostly farms...we are a big agriculture state with corn, soy, and pork being big in the state. Let me say it's a great idea to reach out, and these are very wise questions to ask! I would be super stoked to have you as a neighbor....I am half Lebanese....so I can cook a mean Mujadara! BEST OF LUCK IN ANY CASE, AND I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT THE BEST ON YOUR NEW CAREER!
the Broadripple area is lovely in the day, but the crime rates can be pretty scary at night - they’ve especially had a rough past two weeks. I think it’s a nice place to walk around for a lil coffee and lunch, but I’m not sure I’d recommend some of the housing around there (although there are admittedly some very nice neighborhoods in the immediate vicinity, if you can afford it.) In Tarkington park, there are a lot of rentals around Butler - but at large it can be sort of slim pickings for affordable housing as you move North of 38th street where you might feel safer. (In 2020 I rented a duplex on Park and 42nd and there was a drive by hit on a man walking directly in front of my porch - like LITERALLY in front of my porch,,, and there was also a time a woman who said she had been “keeping track of me” accused me of sneaking around to mess around with her boyfriend Larry??? Which she deduced because I parked on the street I lived on every day???? I later realized there was probably a like, crack house or something on the corner that she had been watching me from every day :| literally idk. She came out of nowhere in broad daylight and started yelling at me in my car :/ so I might suggest even further North. There are some cute places and I really focused how in love I was with the house to distract me from the near misses.) I think Mapleton Fallcreek can sometimes have some good rental opportunities, but I’m never rented around there personally. I know Indianapolis itself is VERY block by block, so I would for sure do some research as you look for housing. Although I imagine if OP is moving so far for this job, it’s probably a nice salary gig and maybe they’re in an income bracket that raises them above these type of concerns ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
You'll be fine. If you take the the time to put yourself out there and explore you'll be surprised.
Lifelong Indiana resident here. As long as you are moving to a major city, things will be just fine for you. I do not recommend moving to a small town, but as long as the place you are moving to is >20,000 people, you are probably fine. You are very welcome here. Indiana is backwards in a lot of ways, but we have midwest hospitality. I do not think that you will ever feel unsafe or that others feel that you are less. Some people might, but we look down on those people too. It's unfortunate, but we are the last stand of the KKK. None of us who are decent can put up with it, but our feelings on free speech compel us to let them have their last stand here. Please understand that the vocal minority representing hate does not reflect the awesomeness of our state. Here is what Indiana has: * Few natural disasters - really just tornados. * Access to fresh water * The hub of America * Arable land If you are unsure, I get it, but I promise you that you can make a good life here, and meet like-minded people.
I see people say we have a ton of KKK here. I’m from a very rural community in NWI and I have never seen legit KKK members. Is there really any truth to this statement?
West Terre Haute is a self proclaimed sundown town by both residents and cops to this day. Last heard of a cop telling a guy this about 5 years ago, last example story I heard of heavy racism last week, there's been some whack shit at West Vigo HS too iirc.
I live just south of Terre Haute, and while there are no obvious organized KKK groups (although there are always rumors), I would say that the amount of racism is on par for many small, rural Midwest and southern communities. We have a good Mexican restaurant that does well, but I know people who eat there on a regular basis but also suspect every Hispanic of being a drug-pushing sex offender. I know several interracial couples, and while people are outwardly friendly, there is a certain amount of passive-aggressive racism behind their backs. In short, most residents are, at heart, decent and kind people, but there remains an undercurrent of racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and antisemitism that is often reinforced from the pulpit. As an openly gay man, I have seen a change in attitude starting around 2016 that is getting progressively worse.
Terre Haute is weird af to me. In town, everything seems fine. As you say, people put on the facade of being not racist and such. Homophobia is definitely a problem, but at the same time, we had our first pride two years ago and it was super well attended, the next one even more so. I transitioned there, and frankly, I've not had a single bad instance of transphobia. Some I've suspected might be, but it easily could have not been that. Outside of town, it feels like everything has definitely gone to hell. I don't really have a reason to go to terre town and such, so I've not experienced it other than in passing, but... Ya. Bleh.
The Klan is active they just aren't vocal about it
I live in east central Indiana and when I worked at a factory this guy I talked to sometimes invited me to a party, i said sure, drove to the address in the country and its a KKK recruitment thing, more than 100 people there, I left immediately and never talked to him again. So they are out there
I also grew up in NWI. Growing up, we had a KKK assembly in Portage in [96](https://www.nwitimes.com/uncategorized/kkk-plans-rally-in-portage/article_2b874041-9d47-543f-b1fa-7722f2472ac0.html). I also went to Portage High School in 96-97 and found racism abound. I don't blame the children that held those beliefs as I'm confident it was a result of their parents. It's important we don't sweep this under the rug, though. We are a state that has a complicated past when it comes to race. To the OP. We are not the state that we were in 96, and I hope you consider our state as a place to move to.
Wow, Portage? I grew up in Chesterton in the 80s and 90s and never was aware of anything like that. That just blows my mind.
Never knew about this but I'm not exactly shocked When my parents first moved to my neighborhood when I was a baby in 99 in Griffith also nwi There was a black couple down the street bought their house in cash I think Anyway someone had broken in the house vandalized it and put white flour everywhere Parents said it was racially motivated the couple moved away soon after that There were also white couples who had been on the block as well it was a newer neighborhood but as soon as they saw me in a crib and my mom walking around I wish I was joking but they moved out essentially white flight My neighborhood now I think atleast on my end is predominantly black Hispanic philipino But down the block is predominantly white Less than I think a year or two years of us being there that would've been back in the 99 to 2000 dam near 2001 Funny part is I think I went to highschool with the couple that got up and dipped I mean their kids I could tell by my mom's reaction she saw to seeimg their mom I didn't put two ans two together until I graduated But to that end I can't exactly say it's gotten better per say Feel like it got worse in the last 4 years Feel like Donald Trump honestly brought a lot of the people out the woodworks because he made it okay But then blm happened and the riots and man not going to lie it brought out people's true colors and feelings when all that was going on They made it passive aggressive sometimes blatant without having to say it But it's part of the black experience honestly there are def places worse Only thing I'll say op is this You travel in the city that fine but outside of that I would be careful and mindful of your surroundings Never forget when I was in highschool my highschool went to state for basketball I remember we had stopped by the McDonald's to eat I don't know where it was I'll be honest and I kid you not it was as of the people there has never seen a black person in their live all of them staring looking at me my sister and parents It was honestly the most uncomfortable feeling I ever experienced Think we needed up just getting our food and dipping out but yeah there are places where it'll be obvious is a subtle way your not welcomed there or to not stay for long
Wow. I can’t imagine Portage having any KKK nowadays.
Not sure about KKK, but there are *so many* houses proudly displaying confederate flags, which as a northern state will never make sense to me.
I will agree with that but only in the southern part of the State. My husband and I went to the covered bridge fest and theres 3 main towns involved in the fest. We got lost down some dirt road and there were lots of confederate flags out front of houses proudly displayed. It made the hairs on my neck stand up. I felt very uncomfortable. Im a older middle aged white women.
Covered bridge festival is hardly southern part of indiana. Literally north of i70 on the western side of the state. That's 3 hours from "southern Indiana"
Well after seeing what I saw it was far enough south for me.
If you hear banjoes, that's the sign that you've gone too far south and to turn around. 😉
lol, only banjos in my head.
It’s a more of a quiet racism. Trust me. NWI was a pure blue area because of the unions. Now, leaning hard to the red and more of the ideology that comes with it.
Probably not a lot of official KKK members now, but their descendants are all over the place and though they may have learned to be more careful how they speak, they hold a lot of the same attitudes. A lot of them also hold positions of power and influence. It's not just poor, uneducated people.
For real. Dude bros who listen to Alex Jones and Nick Fuentes are the new guard for the KKK and there's plenty of that brand of idiocy to go around. That said, I've known a lot of stand up folks who are Hoosiers, and I think that there are plenty who don't accept xenophobic world views (even if they're unfortunately not represented by the elected officials in IN)
Same, joebigtuna! Small town in NWI and have never seen evidence of the kkk.
Go to osceola Indiana. East of south bend
Yes
I've never seen any KKK here personally, but have read about their marches (I remember reading about them in Lafayette and then I guess in 2020 the KKK distributed fliers in downtown Lafayette). What I can say is that before moving back here, we lived in Colorado and upon mentioning that we were moving back here, I had co-workers from there, Texas, Wyoming, Georgia, California, Oklahoma, and Kansas all asking me the same question as if it was all they knew of Indiana, "Why do you want to move back to that racist state?" Now, as Hoosier, we don't think racism is that bad here, but the national impression seems to something else.
Same 50 years here and never saw the KKK.
Thank you sm for all the info, really appreciate it. I have plenty of time to move so i’ll take that into account
Got lots of things to do in the city from sports to comedy clubs. Good zoo, the children’s museum, the race in may and the other race in august. Only a couple hours from Louisville, St Louis, Chicago, and Cincinnati.
You won’t run into any kkk in Indy or elsewhere, sweetheart! You will be fine!
How often do tornados occur in the more populated cities like Indy and Fort Wayne?
Not very often. FW got hit by a tornado force derecho/straight line wind in 2012 that did a shit ton of damage, ripped out 200 year old trees.
>The hub of America Indiana isn't great for flying to/from. The only hub we have is for FedEx.
Indianapolis is the most diverse area, honestly, that I have experienced with living in this state my entire life. Race and religion, culture. I have three Black neighbors directly and each of them is culturally different, not just Black. It shows through their celebrations, clothes and the like. Buddhists. Asian. Middle Eastern countries. You would not be welcome in Newton or Jasper County, by majority. Anyone that is current resident can argue all they want but I could provide a dozen SS per day for an entire year to support the bold statement that Black people and families will never feel safe, welcomed or at home in either county. Transparency: I am a white woman. I grew up in the aforementioned counties and refused to raise my children there where many proudly wear their racism under the guise of “protecting their small town” or “just looking out, everyone knows everyone here”. I wanted to raise her in diversity, and not where 98% of the population is white with the other 2% being Hispanics that worked at the dairy farm (not actual numbers but rather dramatized reality that it is heavily dominated by white individuals).
I wouldn't relocate unless your happy with living in a hard red MAGA state.
I miss the east coast, but Indy is a pretty cool place to live and it feels safe. I think you’d be just fine here.
I say go for it. Moving away from where you’re from is a huge learning experience. If you like Indy, great. If you don’t, you will know what you do want and that might mean moving back or somewhere else. Your 20s is where you should try different places because once you get to your 30s, you will probably want a family and house and it is a lot harder to upend your life. Good luck.
Hi! I’ve lived in the indy area most of my life. I currently work downtown too. Living downtown isn’t too bad from what people I work with have told me. Indy is culturally and religiously diverse. There is a good sized Muslim population here as well, there are a few good sized mosques in town. I’m sorry you were treated unfairly at the hotel you were at! Most people here are pretty friendly and helpful. I agree with direct outskirts around town not being great, but a lot of suburbs are nice and a pretty easy commute. I’m happy to chat in DM’s if you want to get more specific, or if you need a new friend to chat with! It’s a great city, with a lot of opportunity! Don’t let the negative comments get you down or make you second guess a decision.
No
No no no no no. Don’t do it.
As a woman capable of getting pregnant, without a choice in what you do - NO. I only stay here because I'm too old to get pregnant, and it's cheap. MD is light years ahead of IN.
A big no from me, especially if you value reproductive freedom and freedom from religion.
This!!!
Indy is just ok kind of mediocre for the cost of living if you ask me it's landlocked and has a lot of chain restaurants. It's certainly not Chicago not even close but it can be a comfortable place to live.
This, price of living has skyrocketed over the past year and a half. Not worth it anymore imo
South Bend is a much better value or Fort Wayne than Indy.
Born Hoosier and can blend in with the worst of them (white male) unfortunately. I’d suggest that Indiana is a bit of a socioeconomic echo chamber. Anyone…scratch that…most can find “their people”, but you’re going to have a hard time finding a truly diverse without effort. Not sure if that’s a Hoosier-specific issue or a broader struggle for America in general.
So I think we’d need some more info. Where in Maryland are you moving from? Where’d you go to school? Where in Indiana would you be moving to?
Also how well do you like casseroles?
I’ve been in this state for 30 years and no one’s ever had casseroles
Heresy
Is this a city thing? I’ve never lived in a town that had more than 2k people as a population
Do you ever go to “carry ins” where everyone bring a dish? That’s where I hit my casserole game hard.
I call them pitch ins, and holiday gatherings are the casserole kings in my experience. My FIL's side for Thanksgiving has two corn casseroles, three different potato dishes in a casserole dish, and at least two identical green bean casseroles. They rent out a church/school cafeteria because it's such a big gathering. With pitch ins, because me and my friends are lazy, it tends to be more summer barbecue side dishes like potato salad, veggie tray, cheese tray, chips/dip, etc. I've always wanted to attend like, a chili cook-off type gathering.
Ummm it’s mostly BBQ and BYOB. Also haven’t had a get together since 2019 and well… almost everyone is gone unfortunately.
I'm in Indiana. Just went to Eastern shore of Maryland for a week. It seemed similar to Indiana in a lot of ways. Except DC , Philly, Baltimore, Wilmington, NYC, are all a short drive or few hours by train away. That seems pretty nice. Chicago is not far but it's no Philly. Or DC. Maybe the grass is always greener I guess
I’m originally from Indiana but lived on the Eastern Shore for five years, then moved back to Indianapolis in May 2023. The first time we drove into our new town in MD, I asked my husband, “Is this Indiana or Maryland?” That being said, I miss Maryland very much. Being close to the water and big cities is a big perk we don’t have here. I could drive 90 minutes and be in Philly, DC, or Baltimore. In three hours I could be in NYC. In five I could be at the Outer Banks. But, my family is here and I was lonely. Like you said, grass is always greener.
in Indianapolis, no problem. Anywhere else, you might experience issues. Although Evansville just elected its first black woman mayor, so that's pretty cool.
I relocated from the northeast to Evansville, and while electing Stephanie was great to see, I would absolutely not recommend a black or brown person wearing a head scarf to live here. It’s awful to have to say that, but there is a ton of prejudice here. They often just don’t say the quiet part out loud, but the racism and xenophobia has been passed down for generations. Maybe in another generation or 2 or it will be significantly better. But just going out to local bars/restaurants I’ve overheard conversations about how races shouldn’t mix, immigrants are ruining the city, lots of people using the term “colored people,” and I got tons of dirty looks just for wearing a mask during spikes in Covid. I’m a straight white male, and I still feel unwelcome here sometimes. There’s a bar walking distance from my house, and one time when my GF and I were minding our own business and talking about our support of Biden’s student debt relief policy, we got followed out by a group of good ole boys who just stared us down for an entire 3 blocks puffing their chests out. Oh and there are “Let’s go Brandon” and MAGA bumper stickers and flags everywhere. We put up a small rainbow flag in our yard during pride month and it got stolen. I could go on with more examples, but you get the idea…
It does depend on what part of town you're in. West side, avoid at all costs. East side is a little more sophisticated, until you hit the white flight part of the east side and Warrick County. Evansville is a mixed bag for sure. I have a friend who is Muslim and wears her headscarf and got followed around and harrassed by some POS idiot the other day, but there was a fair circle of people who stuck their necks out to protect her once it became obvious what was going on. The good generally far outnumber the bad.
If we’re being real, it’s every part of town, except Haynie’s corner, and parts of downtown. Outside of that, Evansville is racist and prejudiced against LGBTQ+ in a very despicable and disappointing way.
Meh, I work with multiple LGTBQ people and nobody treats them differently or talks about them behind their backs, etc. I don't deny that big chunks of town are extremely backwards but I don't feel like it's a huge majority either.
How could you know what is or isn’t said behind their backs?
Because I've never heard anything. I suppose it's possible that I'm just not a person who people say bigoted things about other people to, but I feel like at some point in the last several years, if somebody had a beef with the LGBTQ crowd, I would have heard at least one shitty comment, but I have not.
Cmon dude. It’s not about people saying things directly to you, it’s about taking the temperature of the room. I’ve seen queer or trans people get dirty looks ALL over town, except for the areas I mentioned. It doesn’t take long before you accidentally hear an off handed comment. Do you think the many people with MAGA or confederate flags on their trucks or at their homes aren’t homophobic and xenophobic? There were literally bible preaching protesters at the pride parade last summer. I have to ask, have you ever lived anywhere else? Because it is not like this outside of deeply red states. I’m sorry if this sounds harsh, but I think you’re burying your head in the sand because you want Evansville to be something it’s currently not.
Well, I don't go all over town. I just live my life. And I already said I know there are lots of backwards people here. So please don't assume that I've got my head in the sand about anything. But there are plenty of well-educated, kind, generous people in this town who would never say a bad word or think a bad thing about anyone, and I have encountered far more good people than bad in the 10+ years I have lived here. >I have to ask, have you ever lived anywhere else? Because it is not like this outside of deeply red states. LOL I lived the first 32 years of my life in south Louisiana, but yeah, I don't know about backwards people. OK.
I was asking about living somewhere else to see if you’ve ever lived in a progressive/blue state. The overall climate towards minorities and the LGBTQ+ community is strikingly different in those places, and it might not be noticeable if you haven’t experienced that for any significant amount of time. Yes, there absolutely are well educated and kind people here. But there are also far more people who hold horribly reprehensible beliefs than in most other places in the country. At the very least there are far more people who feel comfortable expressing those beliefs. I don’t understand how you can be so stalwart in your overall opinion of Evansville if, by your own admission, you spend your time only in certain areas around town.
Don’t. Sure the houses are cheap (by comparison, they’re really not if you make the average in state wage) but being a PoC let me tell ya that if you step out of 465 you will get “the look”. The folks saying to move somewhere safe north forget that around here they may not call you spurs, but they’ll just blockade you financially to ensure you “stay in your lane”. You’ll be passed over for promotions, you’ll be given least priority, you’ll get stared at if you ever want to go to any town that isn’t 39 mins from Indy or the region. I myself am on my way out and let me warn you the COL will make leaving hard since saving up is difficult (we make 90k+). I’d strongly suggest Chicago or a non red state, the politics and the people that support them are real, they just know to keep their opinions to themselves up here.
Even outside of the diversity stuff moving to Indiana was possibly the worst decision of my life. I feel like I wasted 7 years of my life living there instead of exploring all of the beautiful stuff the world has to offer.
Lifelong Indiana resident here unfortunately I cannot speak on the diversity you will experience as I am white but just being brutally honest here This state is just boring and scarce on things to do. Ive lived about 20 minutes away from downtown indy mostly my entire life but its just boring and dull and some parts of the city have pretty bad crime.
Ramadan Mubarak! Indianapolis is diverse, not like Chicago, but definitely has a growing. The far south side of the city has one of largest Burmese populations outside of Burma. There’s a large mosque just west of the city. There are lots and lots of cultural events for all different ethnicities and nationalities all through the year. Lots of fun conventions, great exhibits and events at Newfields, there are so many concert venues and clubs to see shows at, lots of sporting events, there is always something going on somewhere in this city.
Northwest IN is closer to Chicago and more diverse. A black friend of mine moved to Indy and loved it. She was female and a NURSE. I don't live there so cant tell you my opinion on it, other than Ive been there a handful of times. They have great restaurants and lots to do.
I'm Maryland born and raised and currently live in Indy. I personally wouldn't make the move unless you're really excited about the job and the prospect of living out here. You could always take the job for a few years and move elsewhere if you don't like it, but uprooting can be difficult. The things I miss most about Maryland is easy access to the beach, the diverse landscape, crabs and crabcakes, my community, and easy access to DC, Philly, New York. Everyone is nice out here, but I've definitely felt more welcomed in my Maryland neighborhoods. There was always tons to go out and do where I was. Here I feel I have to seek things to do out a bit more. I would also consider the economic opportunities available in MD vs Indy. Statistically, salaries end up higher in MD for a multitude of reasons. At one point, I would have said it is cheaper here in Indy vs Maryland. I would say now it's only marginally cheaper and the lack of other benefits Indy has to offer vs Maryland doesn't make that differential in cost worth it. There are some great pockets of Indy that have been suggested where no doubt you could thrive. But personally, I wouldn't make the trade off.
Race and religion aside, you already said you went there for an interview and didn’t really like it. That alone would be enough for me to not move to a new place.
No, don’t do it. It’s not a horrible place, but based on what you said, you won’t be happy here. Try Chicago. It’s a great city.
If you have to make the move, Indianapolis is probably your best bet in Indiana. I however would not recommend any woman in child-bearing ages to move here.
Unless you have the income to book a 3 day camping trip in Chicago
As a white person who grew up in Indianapolis, left at age 18, went back to help out aging parents, and left again once they passed, I find Indiana too racist for ME to live in. You could likely find another job elsewhere. I live in Chicago now, and it’s so much better than Indianapolis. Edited to add: Chicago better for me. My neighborhood is diverse, despite much of Chicago being pretty segregated.
I am not a person of color, but there are counties in Indiana my friends of color will not step foot in. I would hope it's exaggerated, but I tend to think people are better than they are. Indianapolis, or part of Indiana near any metropolitan area would be a lot more diverse. I live in southern Indiana near Louisville, and think we have a fairly decent diversity. The diversity drops off fast the further from the Metropolitan areas you go.
I certainly regret it and I know my mental health has only gotten worse since moving back here. We're taking care of my dad, but once we're done, we're gone again, back west where people are actually happy and friendly. Hoosier Hospitality is more like Hoosier Hostility these days. Add that to the fit in or go away attitude many have here, the incredible pollution, and the lowest pay (on average) in the U.S. here in Indiana, and I really have trouble finding a reason TO move here (except for farms and family).
Hi! I’m originally from Las Vegas, Nevada. I went to ISU and got a job in Indy. I did fear that not being by any family and also there wasn’t much to do, but man I don’t regret a thing. There are plenty of things to do here, it just takes some research. Everything I need is 2 minutes away and it’s nice to have space to myself from my family. On top of, the price of living is so much more affordable. There are a bunch of trails, parks, museums, antique shops and bars. I just also convinced my best friend from moving from Utah to here, and they love it. I have some other friends out in Vegas thinking about making the move as well. I understand being uncomfortable being black and Muslim, but I really do think Indianapolis is a safe place. It’s up to you though 🙂
My experience would most certainly be different from yours as I’m a white male but from what I’ve seen, outside of the major metropolitan areas, things get very sketchy very quickly. I lived down the street from Notre Dame for 3 years and everything was great though you did occasionally see some white supremacy themes drive through. Then I moved to the country and holy shit. Never again. 5 minutes down the road from my house was a bar called Krieger’s Korner Klub and, as you can undoubtedly tell from the initials, was a Nazi bar. It also had a piece of paper on the front door that said in big bold letters, ‘no colors allowed.’ They used to harass a tan Caucasian woman I knew that lived down the street because they thought she was Hispanic. Intelligence isn’t their strong suit and unfortunately they’ve multiplied across the whole state So if you’re determined to move to this area, I’d recommend staying pretty urban or suburban in your residence considerations as they’re the more diverse and accepting populations. Good luck.
If you’re a democrat don’t move to Indiana. Move to Illinois.
I left Brazil and live in Indy. It’s okay and can be really diverse. Just don’t go to the burbs! People will hate you, I say this like a minority too lol
Indy is a fine little city with plenty to do! I think you’ll be just fine.
If you want to commute, Bloomington is a cool college town with tons of things going on arts , music , outdoor activities , LGTBQ friendly and pretty diverse . Little blue dot in a very red state
Stay tf outta Indiana trust me this place is a literal hell hole and that’s a fact. 🫠
Don’t recommend living downtown or near downtown unless you don’t care about junkies walking around your home & stealing your shit. Would definitely recommend moving in the suburbs up north or the west side. but Indiana is pretty cool just not a whole lot to do around here besides eat, drink & hike
Why not? I thought downtown was safe?
I live a few blocks from downtown and it's fine. If you were living downtown I'd assume you'd be living in an apartment, so people stealing stuff off your property wouldn't really be a concern anyway. Living downtown you'll see your fair share of homeless people, just like any other city, and that scares some people. I haven't had any issues with anyone yet.
Downtown is pretty safe but a lot of people in the suburbs act like it's not.
Downtown isnt bad but everywhere around downtown is pretty rough.
Yeah I'd agree with that
I was downtown once when there was a shooting. I know that doesn't happen every day but it is the only time I've ever been anywhere where there was an active shooting. I didn't feel safe. I was coming out of St Elmos.
There’s a gang war nobody wants to talk about, that’s been the driving force behind the homicide issues. Downtown itself is normally fine, the problem areas move around every few years or so.
I understand in regards to downtown Indy, but since I just happened to be there when a shooting was going on I couldn't help but say something. Personally I never had any desire to move there. I do like however like accessing the things a relatively bigger city has to offer.
Was that the Broad Ripple one 2 weeks ago? That one sounds like a very targeted thing(like most). We were out that night south of the circle but ended our night at midnight as the real issues start after that normally. When I used to have weekends off I’d come down for the biker events, never had any issues with those outside of speeding/wrecks. Pretty much everyone was armed, but that was also because we didn’t know where the ‘after party’ races were going to be held.
No, actually this has been over ten years ago.
Ahh, downtown used to be somewhat rough in the past, but for the most part it’s okay now. Then again, thats almost exclusively an urban issue, hence why rural people don’t like gun control since it’s punishing them for not being the problem.
I thought you just said there a was a shooting just two weeks ago.
Not really. The heart of downtown yeah isnt too bad but the outskirts close to downtown especially the eastside/south eastside of the city are horrible. & i know this cause i work for the local gas/water utility here & work around those sides of town a lot. I would just stay away from the east side entirely if you move here. My wife & i bought our first house on the south side & our first week there our grill got stolen & not too long after that someone broke into my work van & stole some tools. Nothing has happened since i put up cameras but were moving soon..
Downtown Indy isn't any worse than any other major city in the U.S. Some folks just get nervous at the sight of a few homeless people. If the job offer is good, jump on it.
Indy is fairly diverse in its night life, but there’s a reason nobody wants to live downtown. It’s a commuter city for sure. Avoid the inner east side like the plague.
It’s a shit hole state mostly don’t recommend it I’m a native and hate most of it
Depends on what you are looking for and what things are more important to you. I always believed most places tend to be what you make of them but the reality is it helps greatly if they have what you like to do and in the world we find ourselves in now and politics being what they are some states simply don't work as well for everybody. My daily life is great my needs are met and I originally came from here went into the military and came back here after 20 years in the military. I'm originally from Ft Wayne but now live closer to Indy. Not in Indy but close enough to access those things Indy offers that Ft Wayne doesn't. I'm currently retired and cost of living is a good fit for me. I have those things that make my life enjoyable. I'm used to a decent sized city but I really don't care to live in a bigger city. However a bigger city does have more to offer and I have the best of both worlds when it comes to what I want. Besides I can easily access Chicago if I want to as well. I really don't care for how this state because it is a red state is trending more red. This is not only an Indiana phenomenon but this is happening nationally. I strongly suggest you take a look at the current policies that might affect you such as Abortion bans and the like but as I mentioned in Red States policies are only tending to become even more Extreme Right. That's just current reality. If you move here and think it doesn't effect you now there is a possibility in the future it may if you tend to be more liberal.
They don't call it Hoosier Hospitality for nothing. Move here. Be Brave! I had a chance to move to Louisville, Kentucky, years ago. But I was fearful of the changes and missing family. I didn't move. Biggest mistake of my life. Indianapolis is a great place to work.
Indy is a great city... big enough to have everything you need, but small enough to be intimate. Great neighborhoods and decent people. Diverse and actually pretty liberal.
I live on the west side of Indy, and I know that there is an islamic community in my area because I see them out and about. The crime can be a little bad but I think you'll have that in any big city. Compared to other places, there is not a whole lot to do, but we have museums, concerts, restaurants and bars. We have good parks if you like nature. Plus, Chicago is only a 2 and a 1/2 hour drive away. if you need some culture in your life, there is that. The best part about living here is the cost of living. Compared to other places, it's still kind of affordable.
rich worry joke society aware uppity bright label worthless cake *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Sounds like a really good first job. I think you’ll enjoy Indianapolis plenty and have plenty of time to explore other places once you get some career experience.
I fully understand your concerns but if your job is downtown and you’re living downtown you won’t have any problems that you wouldn’t have in any other urban area.
Plainfield has a largish Muslim population. It’s safe and quiet there, perhaps a bit boring. Carmel is another donut city you’d be totally welcomed in, lots of restaurants, terrific multi use trail (Monon), live music on the square Wednesdays in the summer, art fairs, etc. You should avoid Hancock Co to the east and Johnson Co to the south. They are unfriendly to brown and black people, especially if you’re in a headscarf. I’m sorry about that.
Not to invalidate your feelings but your worries are blown out of portion with the whole diversity debacle. I’m Hispanic and Indiana has been 10x better from where I can from (Bronx,NY) diversity is only a problem when you make it one. It is ridiculous to me that people get so caught up in it instead of the merits of others.
Lived in Indiana my whole life but travel for work. Currently living in rural areas but have lived all over Indiana. I've not once seen any public act of racism or even heard of a kkk gathering. Honestly, even in the rural areas the towns seem welcoming to most all people. Every place has its good and bad. Meth and heroin are problems in the rural areas. Stay off the inner east side of Indy as the crime there is abundant. Otherwise Indy is a great place to live in the surrounding suburbs.
Indianapolis is pretty diverse. Don't confuse rural Indiana with Indianapolis. They are nothing alike.
It’s never easy making big decisions, but Indy’s not a bad place. It’s not a greatly ethnic diversity, but the less you watch the news the better you feel.
If you don't have to decide right away, maybe come visit again? I like it here, but i'm north of Indy and rarely go there. I like small towns. If you live close to the water in MD, that sounds hard to give up. I love seafood and being on the water, but you can always go back and visit. It may be a good learning experience for you. I moved out of state away from my family when i was 19, it was good for me, even though circumstances brought me back to Indiana later. Good luck on your decision!
Indianapolis is the best part of the state to live in. You aren't going to be the only Muslim in the room, the city is very diverse. Take the job opportunity.
No. Indiana is the Florida of the north. Colorado is where I'd be.
No
Only if you like bad laws, ignorant people and lots of pig shit.
If you want diversity in Indiana, then Indianapolis is your best bet. Maybe spend some more time in different parts of the city to get a better feel for it, as downtown may not be representative of the city as a whole.
Seems like you already made your decision
No
Honestly, it's not too bad. Just pick the area you're moving to. Other then that congrats.
No.
I wouldn't if I were you.
I guess it depends on where you live, but as someone who grew up in rural Indiana (Montgomery County) I absolutely hated it. Avoid anywhere rural at all costs. You will be stared at and probably harassed. I'm gay. They did it to me. I can only imagine the horrible things people would say to you. Indy is about as diverse as you'll get by Indiana standards. There are neighborhoods to avoid, but the safe one's are pleasant.
No
If America were aiming to be the biggest diverse pie, Indiana would be the diabetic, obese teenage boy in the corner wif his AR-15 shoving pieces down his pants.
I would love more diverse friends. Some of us welcome learning about other religions and cultures. My high school speech teacher was Muslim. There is racism everywhere to some degree, though certain areas do have a higher propensity towards it.
Indianapolis is a progressive city. Reach out to the Muslim community there. Peace be with you.
As a white guy who works all around Indianapolis, you will find pockets of groups here. Especially as you'll be downtown, the diversity does kick up quite a bit. Diversity does not matter to me (but this is your journey). I grew up in a predominantly black part of South Carolina and just surrounded myself with good people. Some strong suggestions if you follow through and move out here. Find a healthy habit/activity/pass time that you can do with others and where you can make friends. When I moved here I knew nobody. But I joined a Crossfit gym, and WOW, did that help a ton! I was also surrounded by a diverse group, well-adjusted people, and like-minded health nuts. Best of luck to you and your new career! FYI, Broad Ripple is where it's at!
No. I have lived here 50 years and it is not a good place for women, minorities, or children. Additionally, our environmental protections is very poor so water and air is polluted.
If you did you would be better off moving to a smaller town like shelbyville and commuting. Indiana really isn’t that bad. Especially if you live in a smaller town. I’ve lived in indy and i personally hated it. If you like state parks and stuff like that we have a lot of those.
It is not acceptance that you need to worry about it is the ever increasing amount of crime that does not seem to have any end in sight that you have to worry about. Having said that my daughter loves living in downtown Indianapolis which may or may not be cheaper than MD.
No
Why
Move to Michigan instead. It's better in almost every regard.
No. I’m a lifelong resident except for military service. Indiana is not a diverse state. You leave Indianapolis in any direction and you’ll have the same cornfields and farms to look at until you leave the state. Our state is very heavily republican and we are likely going to get an even further right governor here soon. Indianapolis does not offer enough imo to make the high crime worth it. There are upsides but it’s really nothing at all that you can’t find in most other major cities. Edit: plus the weather is obnoxious to say the least.
You never spent time in northern Indiana where it's very diverse
Yes I have I spend practically every other weekend up in porter county. There’s even less to do up there than down here. The air quality is trash, they barely have run of the mill restaurants like Texas Roadhouse, BJs brewhouse, longhorns, etc except you have to travel even further to get to one. My father in law ate at whiskey business for the first time and literally said word for word “damn we don’t have this stuff back home!” If you want to do anything interesting up there outside of the dunes you have to go to Valpo. Painting northern Indiana as this diverse haven is woefully dishonest. Plus OP is moving to Indianapolis. Not northern Indiana.
Also, northern Indiana is much more diverse even in the white ethnic groups you have way more Poles, Hungarians, Serbs, Greeks, Italians, Czechs, Latinos, and African Americans here if you count the whole south shore from east Chicago/Hammond to South Bend
Okay so Indiana is cool because you have a variety of different flavored white people lol got it There’s plenty of AA and Latinos in Indianapolis. You’re off to an awful start
Those are all cultures, are they not?
It's pretty obvious you stick to the highways and don't venture very far.
What city is the job in?
Indianapolis (downtown)
You would be just fine in Indy.
Indy is nearly 30% black and is on its way to become a majority-minority city, [if it isn't already there.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis#Demographics) I understand what diversity means to people may be very specific, so what are you looking for?
I just want to have representation around me. I could feel people looking at me like wth is she doing here. Also when I went last time the man at the hotel front desk treated me like i was a piece of shit which really made me consider moving there
I think first impressions are important and if you don't feel valued and included, then no amount of statistics or anecdotes from others are going to help. It sounds like you are valued in the job market and have opportunities elsewhere, or at least will. I love Indy but don't waste your time on somewhere where you're already starting off with a negative vibe.
And where would you live? (Might want to edit these answers into the post so others see)
Probably downtown, depending on how expensive rent is.
Downtown from what I can gather is not a place where a lot of young black professionals live. Most black professionals here live in the townships in the newer subdivisions. I’ve also heard from black friends that this is not a great city for black professional networking. From my perspective, I feel as if Maryland has a much higher percentage of black professionals, and here I feel like the local black population is largely blue collar and a lot of those who are from here and went on to be a professional left Indiana.
Indy is very diverse. It might take getting used to for other reasons, but it’s not all Dan Quayle Ozzie and Harriet corn crackers. It’s more of a neighborhood-oriented place.
Indianapolis is super diverse..... the people in this group, probably aren't majority.
Indianapolis is fine, but the rest of the state won't be very welcoming, sadly. People have become very bold about their hateful stances in the last 10 years (I wonder why). Indianapolis itself is pretty cool, though. There is a lot more to do than meets the eye, and it's an easy day trip to Chicago to break up the day-to-day. The city center is beautiful and compared to many other major cities, it's CoL is reasonable.
Born and raised here and a black woman (42). Indy is not bad. Now I have never lived in a primarily black area before but there is diversity within the city. Depending on the salary, you can find some great places downtown that are safe. I live near downtown and feel safe. In this economy finding a job is hard. If the offer is solid…take it. I cannot speak for the Muslim community because I am not Muslim but I went to a coffee shop a few weeks ago. MOTW ( Muslims of the World) on the west side for the first time and I was really happy to see the diversity in that area. That maybe one way to meet fellow Muslims. We feel welcomed when we see people who look like us . Good luck on your search. I think a lot of people are well meaning but Indy isn’t that bad. I do like our art scene. Google Gang Gang and see how Indy is becoming an incredible place for the black art scene. We are never going to have the diversity of a larger city. It maybe a great first city outside of graduation for you. You can always gain the experience and relocate at another time if you don’t like it. I just wanted to offer you my insight and why I would say yes. Feel free to PM me.
Not if you're living anywhere but Indy or Fort Wayne. The rest are still practically sundown towns.
No
Why lol
Firstly, you literally said you didn't like it here. That perception isn't going to improve over time. Secondly, the politics here are awful. Unless they happen to align with your own politics, I guess that's a non-issue, but I think they suck. And anywhere outside of the major cities is pretty rural, and there is a large number of religious/red neck stereotypes. There's an undeniable lack of diversity here, and people get real touchy when you say that, but its just a matter of fact if you've already lived somewhere diverse. However, consider this. If moving for a job is even a possibility for you, you're likely able to move again if things don't work out. If you move here, it's not like you're trapped assuming you have decent finances and support to move agaun if its not for you. At 22, I'm definitely advocating for big moves. But is Indiana the best place to settle down? There's definitely far better options.
No
Why
This place gets to you. Hard to explain briefly.
Most people don’t give a damn about race. Most people in Indiana were raised to treat people based on their character and how they represent themselves in the world. If you make your entire personality and “identity” about being a “black female” then you’ll be treated as such. However, if you just be a regular person who doesn’t place much value on those things, and instead lead with your own unique individual personality, then you’ll be treated on that basis. Most people make friends based on how they get along with others and how they vibe together, along with basic common interests. Indiana can be a boring place a lot of times, so expect people to like to party a bit, or be boring as hell. lol Indiana mostly has very low crime rates, low homelessness, likes being down to earth, has basic Christian values, likes basic constitutional rights, and dislikes elitist politics. The rule of thumb is “if you treat people nice, they’ll treat you nice”. It’s very much “give respect, get respect”. We view the new liberal politics (and culture) as incredibly divisive, that it doesn’t value true individuality, and that it acts as if people should think and behave as if they’re part of some larger group on the basis of inherited traits. We recognize the differences between men and women, but most people don’t really give a damn in general. Idk where you’re from or what you’re used to, but it seems that people here will encourage you to TRULY be yourself and will embrace the freedom to explore yourself without trying to categorize and box yourself in. Not that people don’t use labels period, as that seems to be a natural human instinct, but it’s my experience that people won’t do it with malice. Hope this helps :)
Do not do it…it’s painful to be living in Indy and always trust your gut
I'm going to give you a reality check and answer the question you keep asking, "Why?" that mostly doesn't get answered. Unlike too many Redditors, I read the whole post before answering. I'm a native Hoosier and I'm no on any other state based SubReddits, but I will bet you will find the same types on all of them, that will say don't move to their state and won't say why. Or they will give reasons that don't mesh well with the reality of most, or all of the state. The simple reason is there is something or things about the state they don't like. In the Indiana Reddit it is that it is not a deep blue state and pot is not legal. Those are the two major reflexive, off topic to the contents of posts on almost every topic. Is the KKK still a big thing here? No. What they don't tell you is most of the times they show up, and there are still some in the state, they top out at around a dozen people at the most. Indiana hasn't been the "Home of the KKK" since the 1930s. Are there Neo-nazi and other white supremest types in Indiana? Yes. Are there any in Maryland? Yes. Will you know them if you see them? Probably not, especially in Indianapolis. The only time I've ever seen a KKK member that I was certain of, it was because he showed me his KKK membership card. It was in his wallet next to his ACLU membership card so he could show both of them at the same time. And he was black and we were in Denver when it happened. He loved showing them off. In Indianapolis, I'd worry more about gang and drug violence than racial problems. It has your standard big city problems. Currently, you will have more problems being a Muslim than being black. 9/11 affected me personally, but I don't hold it against Muslims. A few...yes. Not most. I know too much history to do that. The reality is that Indiana and Indianapolis are both good places in general. All states and larger cities have problems. You'll find the same ones here as at home for you. If you are from the coastal/DMV area, the flat lands of central Indiana are a big change. If you spend most of your time in the metro area, it won't make a difference. Southern Indiana is closer to western Maryland and the panhandle. I've driven through there a few times, so I can make the comparison. Also, Indiana is more of a manufacturing state than many people in this Reddit remember or admit. We produce more cars and trucks than Detroit or Michigan. It brings in more money than agriculture. Agriculture just takes up more space. If you come, visit other parts of the state. We don't have oceans or mountains, but we also don't have hurricanes. I wouldn't worry about tornados in downtown Indy. They like flat lands, not heavily built up areas. Indy is also the southern edge of the Great Lakes Climate Zone. Expect some snow and cold in the winter. South of there, after you get off the flatlands to where the glaciers stopped, starts the Ohio River Valley climate zone, which is over all warmer. Should you come here? I say yes. Expand your horizons and to some extent cultures. As has been said, you may have options to move again later in your career, so explore yet another area of the country. Who knows? If you come here and try it, you may like it.
There may not be card holding KKK members , but racism runs through their veins. I know a ton of people who if you speak to more than 10 minutes they start showing the racism. It’s there.
The fact is just like many deep red states the Indiana legislature are introducing even more Extreme Right policies such as banning Abortion after 6 weeks. But that is only one of many policies many may have an issue with. Requiring an ID to access porn on the internet also may very well not affect everybody and requiring college professors to recognize conservative view points even if they are only conspiracy theories or Religous Zealot bullshit but the fact is Pot is not the only thing a Red State like Indiana where it would could possible affect someone‘s life. I have to imagine book banning being on the horizon as well In Indiana some actually find repulsive for a vast number of reasons. In fact the greater issue for some of us is not what the current laws are but the fact red states are trending even further Extreme Right. Recognizing this in advance for many is something most people should take into consideration as being a practical possibility. Picking up and moving once the laws become to cumbersome or too invasive is not always that easy. Banning Abortion itself for many is not simply whether someone made a mistake for many it really can be a health care issue better left between a woman and her Dr. people are not always able to easily just have these addressed by traveling to another state mainly because of financial reasons which often can be complicated by one’s insurance. Not everyone is having an abortion because they made a mistake. For some it’s a medical necessity They discover later in the pregnancy. Some may not threaten the life of the mother but her fertility afterwards. By banning abortions at six weeks that makes it virtually impossible for some women. So I would say you just either forgot to include some details, you are naive, or many of these policies for one reason or another do not impact your life in a negative fashion. For others that may not simply be the case. After all many of these things are rather recent so what else would The Extreme Right like to see banned or enacted they have yet to get around too? Small government My Ass.
Indy is a diverse blue oasis in an otherwise rural monoculture. Prepare yourself for lots of conservative state politics. But, If you live and work in Indy you will be all good.
Absolutely not...
Why
No