Why is Indiana so cheap?

Indiana is cheap because the income tax is only 3.23%, which is extremely low compared to other states in the United States. Houses in Indiana are also affordable, with a median price of $188,505. Finally, the cost of living in Indiana is lower than in most states, making it a very cheap place to live overall.

Indiana is known as corn country: the land is flat and full of farmland, where most of the people are connected with farming year-round.

Why are houses cheaper in Indiana?

Indiana has a vast amount of developable flats and new construction sites, making the cost of building houses lower. Overall, houses are cheaper in Indiana thanks to the low cost of living. Rent Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 67.51% lower than in New York, NY.

According to numbeo.com, which is a database comparing prices around the world, living in Indianapolis is much cheaper than living in New York for example.

Indices Difference
Consumer Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 34.89% lower than in New York, NY (without rent)
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Indianapolis, IN are 49.90% lower than in New York, NY
Rent Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 67.51% lower than in New York, NY
Restaurant Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 31.28% lower than in New York, NY
Groceries Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 36.38% lower than in New York, NY
Local Purchasing Power in Indianapolis, IN is 31.96% higher than in New York, NY
Credits to the price comparison tool of numbeo.com between Indianapolis and New York City

You can have fun comparing Indianapolis or other cities in Indiana with cities from different states like Dallas in Texas, Kansas City in Missouri, or Wichita in Kansas.

Why is the cost of living lower in Indiana?

Indiana has an overall 20% lower cost of living than that of the United States. The cost of housing, transportation, and health support mostly make the cost of living lower. Including these, development supplies are easy to get without any major involvement from the government.

Here is a link to Trivago US, so you can compare the cost of accommodations in Indiana.

Is it worth living in Indiana?

Indiana has a super-low cost of living with a cheap income tax, offering financial flexibility. However, Indiana is not very attractive because of its poor weather. Indiana is exposed to huge variations throughout the year. Indiana can be boring because it is nowhere near the ocean, and is mostly cornfields.

It’s now only for you to know whether Indiana is worth living in. You will probably find the importance of having a personal car to get around in Indiana. It’s a place of a horse-drawn carriage, and people barely use public transport for daily life. To reduce the road accident rate, the local government declares additional laws for vehicles and carriages.

Finally, it’s important to highlight that Indiana is subject to classic issues such as drug trafficking, crimes, etc. But in a nutshell, if you want a place where you’ll get a small-town feel with good opportunities, the cities of Indiana are to consider. 

You might be thinking about where you will live in Indiana. First, let’s see the best places to live and later the worst ones.

Where should you live in Indiana?

Here are the top 10 cities where you should live in Indiana:

  1. Carmel
  2. Fort Wayne
  3. Munster
  4. Plainfield
  5. Zionsville
  6. Indianapolis
  7. Fishers
  8. West Lafayette
  9. Granger
  10. Columbus

These places are not listed by evaluating exact values and measurements. Instead, listed cities are great based on living standards, education scopes, safety, and overall comfortability. Fort Wayne is my personal choice to live in Indiana, depending on several aspects. We’ll discuss Fort Wayne later in the article.

Which one will be the best for you? It depends on your expected flexibility and ways of living. For example, Plainfield will be the best place if you like to enjoy the nightlife and have a professional lifestyle. Whereas Munster could be a choice to stay near the seashore and live a pleasant personal life. Now, you must conduct In-depth research on behalf of personal preferences to find out the best living place.

Where should you not live in Indiana?

Here is the list of 10 places where you should not live in Indiana,

  1. Shelbyville
  2. Kokomo
  3. Speedway
  4. Hammond
  5. Evansville
  6. Linton
  7. Salem
  8. Anderson
  9. East Chicago
  10. Gary

All mentioned places can be undesirable for living. These places contain high crime rates, poor education opportunities, poor job markets, and low living standards. For example, according to the FBI report, Gray has the highest crime rate in the whole state. In addition, places like Shelbyville, Kokomo, and Hammond are not preferred for family living.

Is Indiana a good place to live even if it is cheap?

We have mentioned both the best and worst places to live in Indiana. Many places have great living flexibility for families, including schooling and employment places like Carmel, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Fishers, etc. Additionally, there are some places to avoid as we all care about safety and comfortability.

In one line, living in Indiana will let you manage your life on your own along with having great experiences. 

Why is Fort Wayne, Indiana so cheap?

Fort Wayne is cheap because of the cheaper cost of living in Indiana. Fort Wayne’s cost of living is about 13% lower than the national average. It is a good place to purchase an apartment, start a career, or raise a family. Sometimes former mansions in Fort Wayne are listed for as low as $25,000.

It’s an affordable and great city to live in. Having great job opportunities, recreational amenities, low cost of living but quiet neighborhoods will help you concentrate on your daily life.

cheap indianapolis city center
Credits to cheap Ryan De Hamer for this picture of Indianapolis, IN

Should I move to cheap Fort Wayne, Indiana?

Now you know that Fort Wayne is a much cheaper and more flexible city in Indiana. But before moving to Fort Wayne, you have to consider some facts and realities. First of all, you need a personal car if you have to travel frequently. Because the public transportation service is not sufficient and well-organized.

Secondly, Fort Wayne is not a place with comfortable weather. It has four seasons with a very sunny summer and snowy winter. Also, be aware of the riversides as your living space. The water of the rivers can sometimes smell bad and it has flood zones.

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