Moving to Indy?

The pitch

Why people move here.

Your money goes further. Housing costs a lot less than in most big metros, and that's the main reason people land here. A paycheck that rents you a closet in some cities can buy you a house with a yard in Indy.

It's easy. Most drives take about 20 minutes, which is basically the official unit of measurement here. The airport is easy too: Airports Council International keeps naming it the best airport in North America for its size, year after year.

Big-city stuff, small-town scale. We have the Colts, Pacers and Fever, the Indy 500, a real art museum, great restaurants and a solid music scene, without the two-hour commute. Indy hosts the kind of events (Final Fours, the Big Ten title game) that bigger cities fight over.

People are nice. Midwest nice is real. Your neighbor will wave at you, help you jump your car, and tell you about their dog's knee surgery for 25 minutes. It's a feature, not a bug.

The honest part

What people don't love.

• You'll probably want a car. A few neighborhoods are walkable and transit is growing, but most of the metro is built around driving.
• Winters are gray. Not Buffalo-level snow, but January and February can feel like living inside a dirty dishrag. Plan a trip somewhere sunny.
• Summers are humid. July air sticks to you like a wet t-shirt. Pools, lakes and air conditioning get you through.
• It's spread out. Indianapolis covers almost all of Marion County, so "Indy" can mean very different places. That's why the next section matters.

How the city works

How Indy is laid out.

In 1970 the city and Marion County merged into one government (locals call it Unigov), so the City of Indianapolis covers almost the whole county. A few small cities inside it kept their own governments: Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport and Speedway. I-465 loops around the city, and people talk about being "inside" or "outside the loop."

North of Marion County is Hamilton County, home to Carmel, Fishers, Westfield and Noblesville. Those are separate cities with their own taxes and services, and most homes there were built more recently. Zionsville sits to the northwest in Boone County.

Here's how I'd sort the areas by what you want your days to look like. Each link goes to my full guide.

See all 29 neighborhood guides →

Getting around

Cars, buses and bikes.

Indiana's motto is "The Crossroads of America," and it's earned: I-65, I-69, I-70 and I-74 all meet here. Rush hour exists, but it's mild compared to most cities this size.

IndyGo runs rapid bus lines with dedicated lanes. The Red Line (opened 2019) runs north–south through downtown and Broad Ripple. The Purple Line (2024) heads northeast to Lawrence. The Blue Line, east–west along Washington Street, is under construction and expected around 2028.

For bikes and walks, the Cultural Trail is about eight miles of protected path looping through downtown, and the Monon Trail runs north from near downtown through Broad Ripple, Carmel and Westfield. If you live near either one, you'll use it more than you think.

What we do for fun

Your new weekends.

• May is race month. The Indy 500 runs Memorial Day weekend, and the whole city treats May like one long tailgate.
• Sports. Colts at Lucas Oil, Pacers and Fever at Gainbridge, Indy Eleven soccer, and the Indianapolis Indians at Victory Field, one of the nicest minor league parks you'll find.
• Art and outdoors. Newfields (the art museum and its gardens), White River State Park, and the canal walk downtown.
• The State Fair. Every August. Go hungry. That turkey leg in my photo didn't stand a chance.
• Live music. Small rooms like HI-FI in Fountain Square, plus big summer shows up north.
• Where I actually eat. My first meal in Indy was at Yats, and coming from Crown Point it was nice to have something different for a change. These days you'll find me at Coat Check Coffee, Julieta Taco Shop, La Eskina, Sakura and 9th Street Bistro.

Want the week-to-week version? I write Indy's Dopest, a free weekly email with the best things happening around town. It's the fastest way to feel like a local before you even get here.

Weather

Four real seasons.

Spring is green and stormy, so learn what the tornado sirens mean and keep a weather app handy. Summer is hot and humid. Fall is the best season, no debate. Winter brings some snow most years, but the bigger complaint is gray skies, not blizzards.

Buying from out of town

How to buy a house here from somewhere else.

1. Talk to a local lender first. Get pre-approved before you start shopping, so you know your number and sellers take your offer seriously. I'll connect you with lenders I trust.
2. Come see the city. One weekend on a city tour with me will narrow things down more than a month of scrolling Zillow.
3. Shop by video. Once you know the areas you like, I'll walk homes for you on FaceTime and tell you what the listing photos don't show.
4. Make an offer and inspect. Indiana uses a standard purchase agreement with an inspection period, so you can get the house checked out before you're locked in.
5. Close, often without flying back. Indiana closings are handled by a title company, and many can be signed remotely or by mail. Closing usually takes about a month after your offer is accepted.

You don't even have to visit first. I once helped a couple move here from overseas who had never set foot in Indy. They told me what they were looking for, we narrowed it down together, and they landed in Noblesville. It was exactly what they wanted.

Renting first while you learn the city is a smart move too. I'm happy to help you figure out where to rent so you're close to where you'll want to buy.