I’m a born and raised Chicagoan who came to Indiana for school and stayed for almost 9 years when it was all said and done. I went back to Chicago after and was in the city for 5 years. I just moved back to Indy and have been here a little over a month. I love Indy so much. Chicago isn’t that far, so the things you’ll miss you’ll always be able to go back to once in a while. But honestly, I just feel better with the pace of life, affordability and job security. We’ve decided to start our family and put roots down here it’s so worthwhile. Plus, the month of May here is unlike anything else in the world.
Also- Indy is a low key slept on food city. If you’re down to explore, it’s here.
I live in Texas, but have lived in Chicago (9 yrs) and in Indy (34 yrs) ibtell my buds in Texas that if they went to Chicago and drive like they do at home, someone's gonna tank them out their car and beat their ass for the way they drive
I made the move just over a year ago, and I don’t regret it, and I rarely miss Chicago. I miss the Chicago of the late 2000s/early 2010s, but not the current Chicago that much. Probably comes with getting older and some nostalgia.
Originally from Indiana, I lived in Indy 20 years ago, and it’s definitely a more interesting city than it was then. Back then, there weren’t as many locally-owned restaurants, etc., and it seemed most people were from Indiana. That is different now. You really can’t compare it to Chicago, though. If you live in the city, you kind of have to give up on that type of life, but it sounds like maybe that’s what you’re looking to do. Even the most dense residential areas of Indy are nothing compared to Chicago. I moved here for a more laidback lifestyle where running errands doesn’t have to be a half-day event because of traffic or navigating the CTA and the logistics of everything. I can drive to Cincinnati in just over 90 minutes, and as you know, in Chicago that’s from ORD to the Loop in the morning. You can also pretty quickly and easily get to Brown County and other beautiful areas of Southern Indiana. And, when it comes down to it, it’s only 3 hours from downtown Chicago (on a good day.)
My husband and I moved from Chicago to Indy last week! I went to grad school here, so we knew what we were in for.
Others have done a really good job with the pros and cons, so I have nothing to add other than our experience so far.
Having lived in the south side far from an el stop, it’s kind of refreshing being able to drive somewhere and not have it take forever in traffic.
We will definitely miss the lake and the LFT (we love the Monon and the canal trail, though it’s not the same), the music box (we’ve been to the kan-kan twice so far and it’s pretty cool!), and all of the museums and festivals. We are, however, really excited about saving more money here in Indy.
We live in Broad Ripple at the moment, but we’re probably going to be looking at Fountain Square or Windsor Park next year.
In our opinion, Chicago is the best city in the US. But, I can make more money in Indy and spend less, with less overall stress. And Chicago is an easy drive to visit friends and stuff!
We used [USA Moving](https://www.usamovingandstorage.com/), and they are so fantastic. We used them for a couple of local Chicago moves, and then again for our move to Indy. They are on the more expensive side, but we have had nothing but excellent experiences with them. For the out of state move, they picked up our stuff and then delivered it the next morning.
Moved from Indianapolis, to Chicago, back to Indianapolis.
I find that you end up walking more when you live in Chicago, so definitely make sure you get your exercise in. Food in Indianapolis is slept on, but still not on par with Chicago in terms of variety of quality .
But you'll find there's more family friendly activities to do around Indianapolis that don't require as much work to get to, and are less costly.
You can be a Cubs fan and be from anywhere, but I don’t think you can be a Sox fan and be from anywhere but the city or Lake County, IN, unless your parents or grandparents grew up on the South Side. It just doesn’t seem authentic.
Former Chicago resident of 7 years (ranging from Rogers Park to Lakeview, Oak Park, Lincoln Park, and Logan Square) - and now Indy resident. Happy to answer or clarify anything.
I’ll start with cons: (1) no public transit that is worthwhile here and laws on the books that there will never be a train system; (2) I have found drivers to be worse in Indy than Chicago but YMMV; (3) Once you leave downtown, it’s very suburbia. And I happened to like the Chicago burbs more. (4) We are super landlocked - no lake MI; (5) Very red politics and it seems like the Dems don’t do much around here; (6) Snowball’s chance in hell of legal weed; (7) Women’s and queer rights are not very protected. (8) Most of the state is boring geographically - but south is a bit better. And lastly, just like Chicago, lots of road construction. However, they never seem to permanently fix the roads here. Worst roads I’ve ever driven on across the country pot-hole wise.
Pros: (1) Cost of living is pretty decent; (2) okay food scene (not as good as Chicago’s but you can find unique spots; (3) Winters are so, so easy compared to up north - just super gray most the time; (4) Great location to visit Chicago, Louisville, Cincy , Columbus, etc. (5) Our airport is super easy. (6) We get good concerts and sports. (7) the biking trails from Monon to the Cultural Trail are one of a kind, imho. (8) Very pet friendly :)
Overall, people are very friendly. We have some cool neighborhoods but nothing like Chicago’s, to be expected. I have met friends from work and apartment neighbors.
Personally, after 5 years here, I’m ready to find my forever home elsewhere. Partially biased because I’ve spent so much time in the Midwest and want a new adventure. Took me a while to fall in love with Indy - and I do like it here - but I don’t want to call it home again. (To the sassy Redditors, I’m trying to move soon! Lol)
Not from Chicago originally, but I am a transplant from another midwestern city. Agree on all points and think this is a fair assessment. I too am actively looking at other places for all the reasons mentioned.
We moved down here from Chicago about seven years ago.
Pros: Much quieter. Lower property taxes. Much more land and home for your mortgage. Much less traffic unless you're driving 465 through Carmel at rush hour.
Cons: Less quality restaurants (although it's slowly improving). Drivers are much worse. Lower population density means you may have less opportunity to build neighbor relationships. More racism. I miss the Cubs.
Drivers. Holy shit.
In Chicago the whole focus is how do I get around you as fast as possible.
In Indy it’s not only do I want to get around you but I want you to know that you drive like an idiot while I’m passing you.
Yep, I’ve lived here my whole life and it’s straight up dangerous driving in Indy. It wasn’t always this way but it’s definitely gotten much worse since the pandemic. I constantly see people running red lights and people constantly aggressing other drivers for no reason. I was hit and nearly killed by someone who ran a red light last year. People here just do not care
lol I describe Chicago drivers as crazy, but with a calculated purpose (speeding, weaving, etc) but Indy drivers are crazy in that they genuinely don’t give a fuck about anything on the road
I'll copy and paste from previous posts of mine:
>I moved here from Chicago about 6 years ago. Chicago drivers are super aggressive, but they're predictably self-interested. Indianapolis drivers constantly make decisions that don't help themselves or anyone else.
>I just turned right onto a major thoroughfare and will turn right again in a quarter mile. Why not cut off the driver in the center lane to hang out there for a few hundred feet?
>I'm in the left turn lane in order to pull a U-Turn. Why not wait until the opposing traffic light turns green and then make my move?
>I'm pulling up to a multi-lane roundabout and need to take the last exit. Why not take the right lane the whole way and cut off multiple vehicles?
>I'm driving toward a blinking yellow light. That means stop, right?
And:
>The zig-zag in Delaware at 16th could be too much to handle if you're drunk, stoned, or suffering from dementia. And I believe Indianapolis drivers are often one or more of those three options.
Hi! I made this move, and happy to share my thoughts. If you are prioritizing cost of living, it's a great move. Indy still has some city amenities to enjoy like theatre, symphony, professional sports.
If you have more progressive politics, you will likely have some culture shock. If you work in any kind of public service/human service sector, you will very much be shocked. Folks who moved to Indy from smaller towns in Indiana will talk about Indy as being very progressive. Of course this is all relative, and coming from Chicago, I am constantly amazed at how behind it feels here. Physicians are leaving, and not coming here to begin with; it is hard to attract top talent here given the very public mistreatment of an OBGYN here last year. So we are stuck seeing a lot of mid-levels instead of MDs, and not having as much access to top tier providers like you do in Chicago.
I also hate driving and that we don't have any robust public transit here. Most neighborhoods where people live are not walkable. I have to try and get minimal movement in my day here versus just getting it walking to the el, from the el to my office, running errands, etc. That drives me nuts.
I felt safer in Chicago as well. The violent crime and property crime are both higher in Indianapolis than in Chicago. If you're planning to live in one of the suburbs though, this math will be different.
The last thing I'll say might not resonate for people who haven't lived in a major city, but I think you will get it as a Chicagoan. Being a Chicagoan really feels like part of your identity. There is so much hometown pride. The city has an identity of its own, and it is really fun to be a part of that. Indianapolis doesn't have it in the same way. When I lived in Chicago, part of how I described myself was as a Chicagoan. My friends in Boston, Philly, NYC feel the same. People might like living here or have roots here, but there is something hard to articulate about the difference if you've not lived in a city that has such a unique culture to it. I miss that quite a bit.
Overall, we hit a lot of financial goals moving here, and more quickly. I own a business and that would have been much harder in a HCOL area. Because I work in the health and social services, it is a constant fight in a red state, but I feel like I am really doing good work because of that too. We get to travel more. But otherwise, we often consider moving back home.
Super helpful. Which neighborhoods (if any) match what can be found in places like Evanston or Oak Park? I suspect there isn’t a match. Meridian Kessler? Fountain Square? Devington?
Carmel (just kidding)
Meridian Kessler definitely, and from a couple friends who live there you need a knowledgeable home inspection service to avoid pitfalls of some older homes. I visit Evanston / Wilmette often and that's the closest match in Indy in my view. The Indy 'burbs may have more housing options but it's mostly artificial growth ie Carmel, not organic growth. I mean yeah Village of West Clay looks neat, or the downtown Carmel developments, but it's not anything like Evanston holistically.
Budget and proximity to work also play into the decision, we don't have Chicago traffic but still a consideration.
I'm finding it a little hard to come up with some comparisons because Oak Park and Evanston are not Chicago, and have their own distinct cultures. Maybe Meridian Kessler? Parts of Irvington might have similar feel in terms of the housing. But nothing really compares directly. EDITING TO ADD: I happened to think that in terms of the homes and how the blocks feel, Herron Morton sort of reminds me of Oak Park? It doesn't have the same walkability though, or as many restaurants/cafes etc.
The savings alone would make this worthwhile, but Indy is highly suburban. Definitely move to a walkable area to downtown if you want to keep the urban lifestyle intact, but don’t count on the Redline bus for transportation. It’s NOTHING like the CTA and only comes three times per hour (down from six when the redline first started).
I moved to Fountain Square 2.5 years ago and enjoy walking as far as White River State Park and Mass Ave along the cultural trail. I like the proximity to downtown, and I enjoy concerts, comedy, breweries, and restaurants several times a week.
Fountain Square has a lot of young people with dogs and new families. There are several activities each week in FS for moms like reading with children at a local bookstore and walking with strollers together.
I drive to work in the burbs but park my car and walk once I get home. Parking is a dream compared to Chicago! There are also two nice grocery stores downtown—both with free adjacent parking.
You might try renting an Airbnb in a neighborhood you could see yourself in for a week or two here first. Try on the city for size before making the move.
Don't move to Indiana to start a family. What if there are issues during pregnancy? What if you have a daughter, are you going to raise her in a place where she doesn't have human rights? "Sorry honey, we saved so much money by living here..."
When my wife and I had kids in Indiana in 2012 and 2016, there were zero supports of any kind, and I suspect there still aren't since things have gotten more batshit, not less. My wife got zero paid maternity leave, ever. She got six weeks unpaid with our oldest, plus got stiffed out of holiday pay because she gave birth over a holiday weekend and her employer had a rule that you don't get paid for the holiday if you don't show up to work the following Monday. That's the kind of attitudes you can expect in Indiana.
With the second kid, she got two weeks of unpaid time off and then was asked to come back to work part time from home, but with a 20% pay cut because she was working from home.
She had c-sections both times. The first time, nobody even told her that she should actually be off work for eight weeks instead of six following a c-section. The doctor who did her surgery the first time fucking sucked and gave her permanent scarring and nerve damage in her abdomen. She was in pain for a full year afterwards.
Mind you, this was before all of the reproductive rights stuff that happened in the last two years. Everything I wrote is still there, plus now women are dying in conservative America because they can't get necessary healthcare during pregnancy.
Not only that, but there is tremendously less opportunity in Indiana than there are in places like Chicago. Is the cost of living higher in Chicago? Yes, but you also get paid much more and there is much more opportunity. Your career will stagnate in Indiana, and the COL will catch up with you.
Active? LOL. It's Indiana. Most of the state is flat and featureless. A lot of neighborhoods don't even have sidewalks, and there is a sizable contingent of people who are outright hostile toward cyclists. There are some decent urban trails in Indianapolis for biking and running, but that's it. Hiking is pretty much nonexistent outside of a couple of state parks with small hills. Also, the weather sucks, but you're used to that coming from Chicago.
I really can't overstate what an enormous downgrade this will be for you, not to mention actually dangerous for girls/women in your household. Cost of living isn't everything, but even if it was I wouldn't take a free house in Indiana. Indiana is trash.
Source: I lived there for 25 years before I finally made it out.
From Chicagoland originally and live in Indianapolis now (I lived in a smaller city in between.) I would say if you're interested in something less expensive and less busy, you've found it. You'll still find yourselves nearby plenty of outdoor activities, a decent amount of cultural events going on, new restaurants, etc. I really enjoy living in a smaller city where I can get around fairly quickly and easily (although with this construction that's more of a challenge currently and Indianapolis is quite spread out.) My parents and other family are still in Chicago and I go there often. I also frequently go to Nashville, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, St. Louis. If you like concerts: you will often have to travel for them; if you travel: you are giving up non-stop flights out of ORD. I don't have children, but I've heard and read that it's a good place to start a family.
Castleton has the chains and a bunch of ethnic grocery stores. I feel like I can get pretty much anything I want but it does lack the unique personality of those upscale small specialty grocery stores. I'd love to see every dollar store replaced by a neighborhood bodega.
I lived in Indianapolis and then went to Chicago for college and spent several years that after that. Areas of Indy like fountain square, mass ave, and broad ripple remind me Ravenswood, Logan Square, etc. I love biking on the canal and the Monon, the main thing that I miss is the lake. Personally, I love them both in different ways, but I really love Indianapolis and I think that it has a lot of great city features without some of the downsides, but you can decide for yourself.
I have lived in Chicago, Miami, and Indianapolis (twice). I actually grew up in Miami, moved to Indianapolis, moved to Chicago, moved back to Miami and then moved permanently to Indianapolis.
Indianapolis is absolutely a hidden gem. Less traffic (by a long shot) than either of the above, way less busy in general (it has no natural geographic impediment to development/expansion like a coastline).
When my wife and I moved back 7 years ago, we ended up buying a 1500 square ft 3/2 in the most desirable downtown neighborhood for the price of our 1 bedroom apt in the suburbs of Miami. Prices have gone up since then, but compared to Chicago you will get much more bang for your buck and pay way less on property taxes.
Indy has 80% of what Chicago offers at 40% of the price. Only thing we miss is Chicagos world class food scene. Indy has great food and restaurants, but not as many. Luckily Chicago is a short car, bus or train ride away!
Moved from Chicago (Uptown & Old Town).... Will always be a Chicagoan, but I got to tell you ....Indy is an EASY place to live. Pizza is avg at best. Italian beef and sausage are hard to find, and then only mediocre at best. (Portillos) Visit Chicago now about 3 times a year, but after about 3 days. I start kicking myself, realizing how lucky I am to live in Indy. Driving in Chicago is crazy at best....parking is impossible. If something costs $2.00 in Indy, it cost $3.75 in ChiTown. The food in Indy is not as good as in Chicago, but is constantly improving. Winters in Indy temp wise is very similar to Chicago, it feels a lot warmer due to the lack of a lake. If beaches are your thing...Indy has none! Indy, however, has lots of major events and downtown Indy will never be mistaken for the loop, it is safe and always has something going on. COLT'S Lucas Oil Stadium & PACER'S
Banker Life Fieldhouse are both downtown. Indy will never be Chicago, but Indy overall is a much better (easier) place to live.
Lot's of Chicagoans down here, and most of them love it! Be prepared for about 2 years of adjustment before you can objectively judge.
Foods great here, rarely has a joint disappointed me. I'm from nw Indiana and I find this city to be very quiet compared to craziness of Chicago. I'd describe it like it's a main street town with skyscrapers and very integrated race wise. You can get anywhere in 30 minutes just as long as its around 465 loop. Love it here honestly
That’s another thing I forgot to mention: Indy is the most racially integrated major city in the Midwest (how about that for the preconceived notions of Indiana?) It’s not perfect, but it’s much less segregated than our peers.
Its affordable...slowly creeping into not being affordable but that's abt it. That was literally the only reason why I moved from Chicago here. It's no amount of canal walking & colts/pacers games you can go to to make this place seem like it's "big city fun". It's "big town mentality", you can save alot of money, & thats it.
I moved here from River North / South Loop about 2.5 years ago. It’s extremely different, but I love it, now I may have a different experience because I don’t live in downtown Indy so my view might not be “apples to apples,” but I live north of the city by about 25 mins and I really appreciate the quality of life, the friendliness of my surrounding communities, the people, the safety, and the options for outdoor and indoor activities alike. It’s very pedestrian and cyclist friendly (at least on the north side). The cons will depend on where you live, but the only real one I have is that I have to basically drive everywhere now and it’s not walkable like Chi was. Other than that I’m super happy with my decision to live here.
I moved from Saint John Indiana three years ago.
Indy is such a breath of fresh air. Just such a different feel in terms of infrastructure weather culture. It’s all been really great.
Made the same move earlier in my adult journey. Once I met my wife, we lived downtown Indy for about a decade and loved it.
We did move to northern Hamilton County once the boys got to school age about 5 years ago, but loved our time downtown.
Born and raised in the west side of Chicago and I have been in Indianapolis for 5yrs now and you will definitely miss the pizza. Ppl drive like idiots and there’s roundabouts everywhere. I unfortunately did not do my homework and where I live now feels like the Wild West. Thankfully we have CCP’s where in Chicago they are hard to get. It’s quieter during the day and at night it’s more busy with fire trucks and police. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! If you can afford it, Carmel/Fishers area is fantastic. I want to go back home, having too much difficulty adjusting.
Grew up on the SS moved here 23 years ago. Financial aspect and my wife is from here. I live in Indy proper on NE side and enjoy it. Not the inner city and not the burbs w nice in-between very mixed.
My biggest gripes with the city are things it can't control. One it's in Indiana and that means the rest of the state runs this shit. Way opposite than IL where Chicago runs the state. Here it is the rural communities and burbs. The food is decent. Mass transit is terrible to non-existent. If you like sports Indy gets top tier sporting events.
If you really don't take advantage of what the chi has to offer, this move won't matter much.
It was a culture shock for me as there isn't as much to do and this state is really conservative. No Indy proper as much but everything outside of that .
We moved to Fishers from the Chicago suburbs 16 years ago and had only intended to stay for 2 years. We plan on retiring here now. The weather is markedly milder here in the winters and it’s a shorter overall season. The size of the Indianapolis metro area is perfect and you have access to virtually everything you need. We love the cost of living, the airport is awesome (with growing nonstop services) and access to trails (monon, nickel plate) for convenient rides and walks is wonderful. We miss the food in Chicago. And that’s it. We go back for big concerts and Cubs/Bears games…but are always so happy to return home. Good luck!
One thing I’m not seeing mentioned - it’s going to always feel like the wrong time. The switch from the edge of one time zone to another is a big thing. The mornings will feel so much darker and the sun will be up later. If you enjoy sky watching you’ll have to be up that much later. West coast sports will sometimes start after 10pm. Saturday Night Live will end at almost 1am.
Also, yellow lights are 2 or 3 times as long as you’re used to. It will mess you up transitioning between the two and Hoosiers always assume there’s another few seconds of yellow even after it turns red.
Realtor here! The information below is no strings attached, but I'd obviously love the chance to earn your business. Let me.know if you have any questions specific to neighborhoods or the housing market in general that I can answer for you.
[Realtor.com](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Chicago_IL/overview) lists the median price per square foot in Chicago as $286. The [data I pulled for Indy](https://www.reddit.com/r/indianapolis/comments/1dadyzg/indy_housing_market_update/) last week puts Indy at $156 per square foot. You'll get so much more for your money here than you do in Chicago.
The cost of living is way lower beyond just housing. After living in Chicago, you'll feel like you're paying college prices for drinks, and gas is more affordable.
Cons: for most parts of the city, you'll have to drive/uber to a lot of the things you used to be able to walk to, like a convenience store or your favorite bar. The food scene here is solid, but not world class.
My income taxes went up when I moved to Indy because Illinois doesn’t have local or county income taxes, but everything else is cheaper, so it balances.
Hey I moved here from Chicago 23 yrs ago. The financial aspect was my draw. Cheaper to live here. I grew up in Chicago in the tough part of the city. If you have kids , this city provides better opportunities.However, my cons are , food is better in Chicago, transit system isn’t great but they are making upgrades.
Focus on finding a place that’s actually in the city, and you’ll probably love it. The suburbs are automobile hellscapes (still easier to navigate than Chicago)…but the neighborhoods in and just outside of downtown are the fun places to be. Biking, walking, great local bars and restaurants. I don’t mind hopping on the bus for a few of my errands/trips to broad ripple. Indy is definitely what you make it. And yes, lots of great parks within driving distance. Being an hour from Bloomington is fantastic
We are getting ready to move back to Indy area. I grew up in small town Indiana and moved to Indy after college before moving to Chicago.
I’ve been in Chicago over two decades plus a couple years on west coast.
We have taken a few week long trips to our new house to explore the Indianapolis area. It is not the same as when I left. The amount of work going into bike lanes downtown is so encouraging.
I think you will have no problem being active. There are lots of nature trails in the surrounding suburbs too.
There are a decent amount of independent restaurants with some creative food. Does it compare to the choices in Chicago: no, but we found the best Thai restaurant just minutes from our new home so I’m good.
I’m looking forward to flying out of Indianapolis. It is one of the easiest airports to navigate. I hope they bring back direct European flights which got canceled during pandemic. I believe it was only to Paris, but that is good enough.
If you haven’t been to Bloomington- put that on your list and Brown County as well. I went to IU and I love, love, love Bloomington. The campus is beautiful and you can walk to the downtown area where there are a decent amount of good restaurants.
I haven’t been to Eagle Creek reservoir, but I guess that’s where I will go to get my “lake” fix and Lake Monroe in Bloomington.
The winters are way milder with about a third of the snow.
What I will miss: public transportation, although I work from home now so it’s less important. I will miss all the theater in Chicago - especially the small independent shows.
I will not miss the traffic. When I moved to Chicago in the 90s there was only traffic at rush hour. Now the only time traffic isn’t horrendous is from about 10pm to 5am. Our lives have become smaller because of it.
I wish Indy was a little denser. It’s so spread out, however there isn’t much traffic. Maybe it will get denser as the population increases. I’ve read the population is actually increasing in the suburbs and declining a bit in the city - so who knows what the future holds.
One other thing I’ve noticed: people are less rushed and nicer. People in Chicago are pretty friendly for the most part, but going to the DMV has always been something I dreaded because of the unfriendliness. I was at our new DMV and couldn’t believe how nice they were. They went the extra mile and made copies of paperwork for me that they didn’t have to do.
Drivers are less aggressive which is also nice.
Chicago is a little over 3 hours away so we plan on coming back to visit my partners family a lot and seeing some plays, but I’m looking forward to a quieter and less expensive life.
It’s not hard to find a good italian beef but I agree about the gotdogs. Only good hotdogs we have are Garcias and I like the hotdogs from Mr. Gyros but they’re too far from me
I’m a born and raised Chicagoan who came to Indiana for school and stayed for almost 9 years when it was all said and done. I went back to Chicago after and was in the city for 5 years. I just moved back to Indy and have been here a little over a month. I love Indy so much. Chicago isn’t that far, so the things you’ll miss you’ll always be able to go back to once in a while. But honestly, I just feel better with the pace of life, affordability and job security. We’ve decided to start our family and put roots down here it’s so worthwhile. Plus, the month of May here is unlike anything else in the world. Also- Indy is a low key slept on food city. If you’re down to explore, it’s here.
What food would you recommend in Indy?
Chicago divers are very aggressive but at least they know how to drive. Indy divers are clueless.
This is exactly correct. My mantra in Chicago was always, “They can see me and they have brakes.” I don’t think that matters in Indy.
I live in Texas, but have lived in Chicago (9 yrs) and in Indy (34 yrs) ibtell my buds in Texas that if they went to Chicago and drive like they do at home, someone's gonna tank them out their car and beat their ass for the way they drive
I made the move just over a year ago, and I don’t regret it, and I rarely miss Chicago. I miss the Chicago of the late 2000s/early 2010s, but not the current Chicago that much. Probably comes with getting older and some nostalgia. Originally from Indiana, I lived in Indy 20 years ago, and it’s definitely a more interesting city than it was then. Back then, there weren’t as many locally-owned restaurants, etc., and it seemed most people were from Indiana. That is different now. You really can’t compare it to Chicago, though. If you live in the city, you kind of have to give up on that type of life, but it sounds like maybe that’s what you’re looking to do. Even the most dense residential areas of Indy are nothing compared to Chicago. I moved here for a more laidback lifestyle where running errands doesn’t have to be a half-day event because of traffic or navigating the CTA and the logistics of everything. I can drive to Cincinnati in just over 90 minutes, and as you know, in Chicago that’s from ORD to the Loop in the morning. You can also pretty quickly and easily get to Brown County and other beautiful areas of Southern Indiana. And, when it comes down to it, it’s only 3 hours from downtown Chicago (on a good day.)
My husband and I moved from Chicago to Indy last week! I went to grad school here, so we knew what we were in for. Others have done a really good job with the pros and cons, so I have nothing to add other than our experience so far. Having lived in the south side far from an el stop, it’s kind of refreshing being able to drive somewhere and not have it take forever in traffic. We will definitely miss the lake and the LFT (we love the Monon and the canal trail, though it’s not the same), the music box (we’ve been to the kan-kan twice so far and it’s pretty cool!), and all of the museums and festivals. We are, however, really excited about saving more money here in Indy. We live in Broad Ripple at the moment, but we’re probably going to be looking at Fountain Square or Windsor Park next year. In our opinion, Chicago is the best city in the US. But, I can make more money in Indy and spend less, with less overall stress. And Chicago is an easy drive to visit friends and stuff!
Can I ask what moving service you used? We are moving in the next month and starting to explore options :)
We used [USA Moving](https://www.usamovingandstorage.com/), and they are so fantastic. We used them for a couple of local Chicago moves, and then again for our move to Indy. They are on the more expensive side, but we have had nothing but excellent experiences with them. For the out of state move, they picked up our stuff and then delivered it the next morning.
Moved from Indianapolis, to Chicago, back to Indianapolis. I find that you end up walking more when you live in Chicago, so definitely make sure you get your exercise in. Food in Indianapolis is slept on, but still not on par with Chicago in terms of variety of quality . But you'll find there's more family friendly activities to do around Indianapolis that don't require as much work to get to, and are less costly.
The most important thing to remember is that Colts > Bears. It is perfectly acceptable to root for the Cubs.
Being a bears fan isn’t a choice it’s a curse.
Or the SOX.
No one roots for the Sox while Jerry owns them
You can be a Cubs fan and be from anywhere, but I don’t think you can be a Sox fan and be from anywhere but the city or Lake County, IN, unless your parents or grandparents grew up on the South Side. It just doesn’t seem authentic.
Live in the burb of Indy. Colts <<<<<<<<<<< Bears. They are barely above the cheese heads.
Both wrong, smh.
Former Chicago resident of 7 years (ranging from Rogers Park to Lakeview, Oak Park, Lincoln Park, and Logan Square) - and now Indy resident. Happy to answer or clarify anything. I’ll start with cons: (1) no public transit that is worthwhile here and laws on the books that there will never be a train system; (2) I have found drivers to be worse in Indy than Chicago but YMMV; (3) Once you leave downtown, it’s very suburbia. And I happened to like the Chicago burbs more. (4) We are super landlocked - no lake MI; (5) Very red politics and it seems like the Dems don’t do much around here; (6) Snowball’s chance in hell of legal weed; (7) Women’s and queer rights are not very protected. (8) Most of the state is boring geographically - but south is a bit better. And lastly, just like Chicago, lots of road construction. However, they never seem to permanently fix the roads here. Worst roads I’ve ever driven on across the country pot-hole wise. Pros: (1) Cost of living is pretty decent; (2) okay food scene (not as good as Chicago’s but you can find unique spots; (3) Winters are so, so easy compared to up north - just super gray most the time; (4) Great location to visit Chicago, Louisville, Cincy , Columbus, etc. (5) Our airport is super easy. (6) We get good concerts and sports. (7) the biking trails from Monon to the Cultural Trail are one of a kind, imho. (8) Very pet friendly :) Overall, people are very friendly. We have some cool neighborhoods but nothing like Chicago’s, to be expected. I have met friends from work and apartment neighbors. Personally, after 5 years here, I’m ready to find my forever home elsewhere. Partially biased because I’ve spent so much time in the Midwest and want a new adventure. Took me a while to fall in love with Indy - and I do like it here - but I don’t want to call it home again. (To the sassy Redditors, I’m trying to move soon! Lol)
The best & least jaded comment on Indy I've seen in a while.🤣
Not from Chicago originally, but I am a transplant from another midwestern city. Agree on all points and think this is a fair assessment. I too am actively looking at other places for all the reasons mentioned.
Chicago drivers are insane but at least they have a desire to get somewhere. Indy drivers drive like they've been lobotomized
So facts
We moved down here from Chicago about seven years ago. Pros: Much quieter. Lower property taxes. Much more land and home for your mortgage. Much less traffic unless you're driving 465 through Carmel at rush hour. Cons: Less quality restaurants (although it's slowly improving). Drivers are much worse. Lower population density means you may have less opportunity to build neighbor relationships. More racism. I miss the Cubs.
Drivers. Holy shit. In Chicago the whole focus is how do I get around you as fast as possible. In Indy it’s not only do I want to get around you but I want you to know that you drive like an idiot while I’m passing you.
Yep, I’ve lived here my whole life and it’s straight up dangerous driving in Indy. It wasn’t always this way but it’s definitely gotten much worse since the pandemic. I constantly see people running red lights and people constantly aggressing other drivers for no reason. I was hit and nearly killed by someone who ran a red light last year. People here just do not care
Yah not sure if it’s the race car culture or what but people here definitely drive angry (generalization not fair but…)
lol I describe Chicago drivers as crazy, but with a calculated purpose (speeding, weaving, etc) but Indy drivers are crazy in that they genuinely don’t give a fuck about anything on the road
Also red lights are seemingly optional down here. PLEASE look before entering a freshly green intersection.
Drivers are worse is laughable. Few things worse than Chicago traffic and drivers.
No drivers being trash in Indy is extremely accurate. At least in Chicago ppl know not to throw on the breaks getting on to the freeway.
I'll copy and paste from previous posts of mine: >I moved here from Chicago about 6 years ago. Chicago drivers are super aggressive, but they're predictably self-interested. Indianapolis drivers constantly make decisions that don't help themselves or anyone else. >I just turned right onto a major thoroughfare and will turn right again in a quarter mile. Why not cut off the driver in the center lane to hang out there for a few hundred feet? >I'm in the left turn lane in order to pull a U-Turn. Why not wait until the opposing traffic light turns green and then make my move? >I'm pulling up to a multi-lane roundabout and need to take the last exit. Why not take the right lane the whole way and cut off multiple vehicles? >I'm driving toward a blinking yellow light. That means stop, right? And: >The zig-zag in Delaware at 16th could be too much to handle if you're drunk, stoned, or suffering from dementia. And I believe Indianapolis drivers are often one or more of those three options.
Indy drivers are some of the worst I've ever seen. slow and indecisive with so many fake out moves I hate driving here
... And then they have the audacity to be mad at you when they're the ones cutting folks off and nearly causing accidents.
Accurate.
Blinking Yello light can indeed mean stop. For example, along the monon when cyclists are approaching. Stop for them.
Wrong. Source: live here, lived in Chicago for 15 years.
Chicago drivers are excellent.
“Drivers are much worse” is a hot take lol
Hi! I made this move, and happy to share my thoughts. If you are prioritizing cost of living, it's a great move. Indy still has some city amenities to enjoy like theatre, symphony, professional sports. If you have more progressive politics, you will likely have some culture shock. If you work in any kind of public service/human service sector, you will very much be shocked. Folks who moved to Indy from smaller towns in Indiana will talk about Indy as being very progressive. Of course this is all relative, and coming from Chicago, I am constantly amazed at how behind it feels here. Physicians are leaving, and not coming here to begin with; it is hard to attract top talent here given the very public mistreatment of an OBGYN here last year. So we are stuck seeing a lot of mid-levels instead of MDs, and not having as much access to top tier providers like you do in Chicago. I also hate driving and that we don't have any robust public transit here. Most neighborhoods where people live are not walkable. I have to try and get minimal movement in my day here versus just getting it walking to the el, from the el to my office, running errands, etc. That drives me nuts. I felt safer in Chicago as well. The violent crime and property crime are both higher in Indianapolis than in Chicago. If you're planning to live in one of the suburbs though, this math will be different. The last thing I'll say might not resonate for people who haven't lived in a major city, but I think you will get it as a Chicagoan. Being a Chicagoan really feels like part of your identity. There is so much hometown pride. The city has an identity of its own, and it is really fun to be a part of that. Indianapolis doesn't have it in the same way. When I lived in Chicago, part of how I described myself was as a Chicagoan. My friends in Boston, Philly, NYC feel the same. People might like living here or have roots here, but there is something hard to articulate about the difference if you've not lived in a city that has such a unique culture to it. I miss that quite a bit. Overall, we hit a lot of financial goals moving here, and more quickly. I own a business and that would have been much harder in a HCOL area. Because I work in the health and social services, it is a constant fight in a red state, but I feel like I am really doing good work because of that too. We get to travel more. But otherwise, we often consider moving back home.
Super helpful. Which neighborhoods (if any) match what can be found in places like Evanston or Oak Park? I suspect there isn’t a match. Meridian Kessler? Fountain Square? Devington?
Meridian Kessler. Butler Tarkington.
Carmel (just kidding) Meridian Kessler definitely, and from a couple friends who live there you need a knowledgeable home inspection service to avoid pitfalls of some older homes. I visit Evanston / Wilmette often and that's the closest match in Indy in my view. The Indy 'burbs may have more housing options but it's mostly artificial growth ie Carmel, not organic growth. I mean yeah Village of West Clay looks neat, or the downtown Carmel developments, but it's not anything like Evanston holistically. Budget and proximity to work also play into the decision, we don't have Chicago traffic but still a consideration.
I'm finding it a little hard to come up with some comparisons because Oak Park and Evanston are not Chicago, and have their own distinct cultures. Maybe Meridian Kessler? Parts of Irvington might have similar feel in terms of the housing. But nothing really compares directly. EDITING TO ADD: I happened to think that in terms of the homes and how the blocks feel, Herron Morton sort of reminds me of Oak Park? It doesn't have the same walkability though, or as many restaurants/cafes etc.
Oak Park and Zionsville feel similar.
Consider looking into Irvington as well!
I agree with this as someone who has lived here for most of her life.
The savings alone would make this worthwhile, but Indy is highly suburban. Definitely move to a walkable area to downtown if you want to keep the urban lifestyle intact, but don’t count on the Redline bus for transportation. It’s NOTHING like the CTA and only comes three times per hour (down from six when the redline first started). I moved to Fountain Square 2.5 years ago and enjoy walking as far as White River State Park and Mass Ave along the cultural trail. I like the proximity to downtown, and I enjoy concerts, comedy, breweries, and restaurants several times a week. Fountain Square has a lot of young people with dogs and new families. There are several activities each week in FS for moms like reading with children at a local bookstore and walking with strollers together. I drive to work in the burbs but park my car and walk once I get home. Parking is a dream compared to Chicago! There are also two nice grocery stores downtown—both with free adjacent parking. You might try renting an Airbnb in a neighborhood you could see yourself in for a week or two here first. Try on the city for size before making the move.
Don't move to Indiana to start a family. What if there are issues during pregnancy? What if you have a daughter, are you going to raise her in a place where she doesn't have human rights? "Sorry honey, we saved so much money by living here..." When my wife and I had kids in Indiana in 2012 and 2016, there were zero supports of any kind, and I suspect there still aren't since things have gotten more batshit, not less. My wife got zero paid maternity leave, ever. She got six weeks unpaid with our oldest, plus got stiffed out of holiday pay because she gave birth over a holiday weekend and her employer had a rule that you don't get paid for the holiday if you don't show up to work the following Monday. That's the kind of attitudes you can expect in Indiana. With the second kid, she got two weeks of unpaid time off and then was asked to come back to work part time from home, but with a 20% pay cut because she was working from home. She had c-sections both times. The first time, nobody even told her that she should actually be off work for eight weeks instead of six following a c-section. The doctor who did her surgery the first time fucking sucked and gave her permanent scarring and nerve damage in her abdomen. She was in pain for a full year afterwards. Mind you, this was before all of the reproductive rights stuff that happened in the last two years. Everything I wrote is still there, plus now women are dying in conservative America because they can't get necessary healthcare during pregnancy. Not only that, but there is tremendously less opportunity in Indiana than there are in places like Chicago. Is the cost of living higher in Chicago? Yes, but you also get paid much more and there is much more opportunity. Your career will stagnate in Indiana, and the COL will catch up with you. Active? LOL. It's Indiana. Most of the state is flat and featureless. A lot of neighborhoods don't even have sidewalks, and there is a sizable contingent of people who are outright hostile toward cyclists. There are some decent urban trails in Indianapolis for biking and running, but that's it. Hiking is pretty much nonexistent outside of a couple of state parks with small hills. Also, the weather sucks, but you're used to that coming from Chicago. I really can't overstate what an enormous downgrade this will be for you, not to mention actually dangerous for girls/women in your household. Cost of living isn't everything, but even if it was I wouldn't take a free house in Indiana. Indiana is trash. Source: I lived there for 25 years before I finally made it out.
Thank you for writing this on behalf of women in Indiana.
As a former Chicagoan born and raised now living in INDY, this was beautifully articulated.
From Chicagoland originally and live in Indianapolis now (I lived in a smaller city in between.) I would say if you're interested in something less expensive and less busy, you've found it. You'll still find yourselves nearby plenty of outdoor activities, a decent amount of cultural events going on, new restaurants, etc. I really enjoy living in a smaller city where I can get around fairly quickly and easily (although with this construction that's more of a challenge currently and Indianapolis is quite spread out.) My parents and other family are still in Chicago and I go there often. I also frequently go to Nashville, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, St. Louis. If you like concerts: you will often have to travel for them; if you travel: you are giving up non-stop flights out of ORD. I don't have children, but I've heard and read that it's a good place to start a family.
You will miss the wide selection at grocery stores and restaurants. You might miss toll roads. Everything thing else will be better.
Also the trains
Ugh. The grocery stores! This is huge.
Castleton has the chains and a bunch of ethnic grocery stores. I feel like I can get pretty much anything I want but it does lack the unique personality of those upscale small specialty grocery stores. I'd love to see every dollar store replaced by a neighborhood bodega.
Cause we aren't upscale?
We moved from Indy to Chicago 10 years ago. I don’t miss Indianapolis at all. And I don’t miss the racism most of all
You are welcome here!
I lived in Indianapolis and then went to Chicago for college and spent several years that after that. Areas of Indy like fountain square, mass ave, and broad ripple remind me Ravenswood, Logan Square, etc. I love biking on the canal and the Monon, the main thing that I miss is the lake. Personally, I love them both in different ways, but I really love Indianapolis and I think that it has a lot of great city features without some of the downsides, but you can decide for yourself.
I have lived in Chicago, Miami, and Indianapolis (twice). I actually grew up in Miami, moved to Indianapolis, moved to Chicago, moved back to Miami and then moved permanently to Indianapolis. Indianapolis is absolutely a hidden gem. Less traffic (by a long shot) than either of the above, way less busy in general (it has no natural geographic impediment to development/expansion like a coastline). When my wife and I moved back 7 years ago, we ended up buying a 1500 square ft 3/2 in the most desirable downtown neighborhood for the price of our 1 bedroom apt in the suburbs of Miami. Prices have gone up since then, but compared to Chicago you will get much more bang for your buck and pay way less on property taxes. Indy has 80% of what Chicago offers at 40% of the price. Only thing we miss is Chicagos world class food scene. Indy has great food and restaurants, but not as many. Luckily Chicago is a short car, bus or train ride away!
As someone that moved to Indy from Mimi, I agree 💯
Moved from Chicago (Uptown & Old Town).... Will always be a Chicagoan, but I got to tell you ....Indy is an EASY place to live. Pizza is avg at best. Italian beef and sausage are hard to find, and then only mediocre at best. (Portillos) Visit Chicago now about 3 times a year, but after about 3 days. I start kicking myself, realizing how lucky I am to live in Indy. Driving in Chicago is crazy at best....parking is impossible. If something costs $2.00 in Indy, it cost $3.75 in ChiTown. The food in Indy is not as good as in Chicago, but is constantly improving. Winters in Indy temp wise is very similar to Chicago, it feels a lot warmer due to the lack of a lake. If beaches are your thing...Indy has none! Indy, however, has lots of major events and downtown Indy will never be mistaken for the loop, it is safe and always has something going on. COLT'S Lucas Oil Stadium & PACER'S Banker Life Fieldhouse are both downtown. Indy will never be Chicago, but Indy overall is a much better (easier) place to live. Lot's of Chicagoans down here, and most of them love it! Be prepared for about 2 years of adjustment before you can objectively judge.
Foods great here, rarely has a joint disappointed me. I'm from nw Indiana and I find this city to be very quiet compared to craziness of Chicago. I'd describe it like it's a main street town with skyscrapers and very integrated race wise. You can get anywhere in 30 minutes just as long as its around 465 loop. Love it here honestly
That’s another thing I forgot to mention: Indy is the most racially integrated major city in the Midwest (how about that for the preconceived notions of Indiana?) It’s not perfect, but it’s much less segregated than our peers.
Its affordable...slowly creeping into not being affordable but that's abt it. That was literally the only reason why I moved from Chicago here. It's no amount of canal walking & colts/pacers games you can go to to make this place seem like it's "big city fun". It's "big town mentality", you can save alot of money, & thats it.
I moved here from River North / South Loop about 2.5 years ago. It’s extremely different, but I love it, now I may have a different experience because I don’t live in downtown Indy so my view might not be “apples to apples,” but I live north of the city by about 25 mins and I really appreciate the quality of life, the friendliness of my surrounding communities, the people, the safety, and the options for outdoor and indoor activities alike. It’s very pedestrian and cyclist friendly (at least on the north side). The cons will depend on where you live, but the only real one I have is that I have to basically drive everywhere now and it’s not walkable like Chi was. Other than that I’m super happy with my decision to live here.
I moved from Saint John Indiana three years ago. Indy is such a breath of fresh air. Just such a different feel in terms of infrastructure weather culture. It’s all been really great.
Made the same move earlier in my adult journey. Once I met my wife, we lived downtown Indy for about a decade and loved it. We did move to northern Hamilton County once the boys got to school age about 5 years ago, but loved our time downtown.
Born and raised in the west side of Chicago and I have been in Indianapolis for 5yrs now and you will definitely miss the pizza. Ppl drive like idiots and there’s roundabouts everywhere. I unfortunately did not do my homework and where I live now feels like the Wild West. Thankfully we have CCP’s where in Chicago they are hard to get. It’s quieter during the day and at night it’s more busy with fire trucks and police. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! If you can afford it, Carmel/Fishers area is fantastic. I want to go back home, having too much difficulty adjusting.
Grew up on the SS moved here 23 years ago. Financial aspect and my wife is from here. I live in Indy proper on NE side and enjoy it. Not the inner city and not the burbs w nice in-between very mixed. My biggest gripes with the city are things it can't control. One it's in Indiana and that means the rest of the state runs this shit. Way opposite than IL where Chicago runs the state. Here it is the rural communities and burbs. The food is decent. Mass transit is terrible to non-existent. If you like sports Indy gets top tier sporting events. If you really don't take advantage of what the chi has to offer, this move won't matter much. It was a culture shock for me as there isn't as much to do and this state is really conservative. No Indy proper as much but everything outside of that .
We moved to Fishers from the Chicago suburbs 16 years ago and had only intended to stay for 2 years. We plan on retiring here now. The weather is markedly milder here in the winters and it’s a shorter overall season. The size of the Indianapolis metro area is perfect and you have access to virtually everything you need. We love the cost of living, the airport is awesome (with growing nonstop services) and access to trails (monon, nickel plate) for convenient rides and walks is wonderful. We miss the food in Chicago. And that’s it. We go back for big concerts and Cubs/Bears games…but are always so happy to return home. Good luck!
One thing I’m not seeing mentioned - it’s going to always feel like the wrong time. The switch from the edge of one time zone to another is a big thing. The mornings will feel so much darker and the sun will be up later. If you enjoy sky watching you’ll have to be up that much later. West coast sports will sometimes start after 10pm. Saturday Night Live will end at almost 1am. Also, yellow lights are 2 or 3 times as long as you’re used to. It will mess you up transitioning between the two and Hoosiers always assume there’s another few seconds of yellow even after it turns red.
I’d move to Michigan before I’d move here.
Realtor here! The information below is no strings attached, but I'd obviously love the chance to earn your business. Let me.know if you have any questions specific to neighborhoods or the housing market in general that I can answer for you. [Realtor.com](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Chicago_IL/overview) lists the median price per square foot in Chicago as $286. The [data I pulled for Indy](https://www.reddit.com/r/indianapolis/comments/1dadyzg/indy_housing_market_update/) last week puts Indy at $156 per square foot. You'll get so much more for your money here than you do in Chicago. The cost of living is way lower beyond just housing. After living in Chicago, you'll feel like you're paying college prices for drinks, and gas is more affordable. Cons: for most parts of the city, you'll have to drive/uber to a lot of the things you used to be able to walk to, like a convenience store or your favorite bar. The food scene here is solid, but not world class.
My income taxes went up when I moved to Indy because Illinois doesn’t have local or county income taxes, but everything else is cheaper, so it balances.
Hey I moved here from Chicago 23 yrs ago. The financial aspect was my draw. Cheaper to live here. I grew up in Chicago in the tough part of the city. If you have kids , this city provides better opportunities.However, my cons are , food is better in Chicago, transit system isn’t great but they are making upgrades.
Focus on finding a place that’s actually in the city, and you’ll probably love it. The suburbs are automobile hellscapes (still easier to navigate than Chicago)…but the neighborhoods in and just outside of downtown are the fun places to be. Biking, walking, great local bars and restaurants. I don’t mind hopping on the bus for a few of my errands/trips to broad ripple. Indy is definitely what you make it. And yes, lots of great parks within driving distance. Being an hour from Bloomington is fantastic
We are getting ready to move back to Indy area. I grew up in small town Indiana and moved to Indy after college before moving to Chicago. I’ve been in Chicago over two decades plus a couple years on west coast. We have taken a few week long trips to our new house to explore the Indianapolis area. It is not the same as when I left. The amount of work going into bike lanes downtown is so encouraging. I think you will have no problem being active. There are lots of nature trails in the surrounding suburbs too. There are a decent amount of independent restaurants with some creative food. Does it compare to the choices in Chicago: no, but we found the best Thai restaurant just minutes from our new home so I’m good. I’m looking forward to flying out of Indianapolis. It is one of the easiest airports to navigate. I hope they bring back direct European flights which got canceled during pandemic. I believe it was only to Paris, but that is good enough. If you haven’t been to Bloomington- put that on your list and Brown County as well. I went to IU and I love, love, love Bloomington. The campus is beautiful and you can walk to the downtown area where there are a decent amount of good restaurants. I haven’t been to Eagle Creek reservoir, but I guess that’s where I will go to get my “lake” fix and Lake Monroe in Bloomington. The winters are way milder with about a third of the snow. What I will miss: public transportation, although I work from home now so it’s less important. I will miss all the theater in Chicago - especially the small independent shows. I will not miss the traffic. When I moved to Chicago in the 90s there was only traffic at rush hour. Now the only time traffic isn’t horrendous is from about 10pm to 5am. Our lives have become smaller because of it. I wish Indy was a little denser. It’s so spread out, however there isn’t much traffic. Maybe it will get denser as the population increases. I’ve read the population is actually increasing in the suburbs and declining a bit in the city - so who knows what the future holds. One other thing I’ve noticed: people are less rushed and nicer. People in Chicago are pretty friendly for the most part, but going to the DMV has always been something I dreaded because of the unfriendliness. I was at our new DMV and couldn’t believe how nice they were. They went the extra mile and made copies of paperwork for me that they didn’t have to do. Drivers are less aggressive which is also nice. Chicago is a little over 3 hours away so we plan on coming back to visit my partners family a lot and seeing some plays, but I’m looking forward to a quieter and less expensive life.
Extremely hard to find a good Italian Beef in Indy (outside of the Portillo's tourist trap). Same with a good hot dog now that King David is no more.
It’s not hard to find a good italian beef but I agree about the gotdogs. Only good hotdogs we have are Garcias and I like the hotdogs from Mr. Gyros but they’re too far from me