Relocation
Indianapolis is a city of neighborhoods with a huge variety of housing options. Hoosiers live in historic homes, modern houses, high-rise condos, downtown lofts, apartments, farmhouses, mansions, cottages, and town houses in neighborhoods that are as diverse as the people who live in them.
Newcomers arrive daily, lured by Indy’s low cost of living, affordable housing, opportunities for higher education, excellent health care facilities, and overall quality of life. Indianapolis is one of the most affordable cities of its size. Its cost of living consistently ranks below the national average. Housing in Indianapolis is among the most affordable in the county, with the average sale price of a home at $136,800. The average apartment rent per month is $643.
If you are relocating in Indianapolis, have recently moved here, or are in the market for a new home in the area, this chapter is for you. The following pages are filled with information about Indy neighborhoods and a list of resources that will come in handy. It’s not possible to profile all the neighborhoods around the city, but these will give you an idea of the wonderful areas to consider. Indianapolis is a great place to visit and an even better place to call home.
1. National Association of Independent Real Estate Brokers
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
Telephone: (317) 549-1709, ext. 133
Address: 46226
2. Broad Ripple Village
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
Description: About 20 minutes from downtown, this north-side neighborhood features eclectic shops and vintage boutiques, a variety of restaurants—many with al fresco dining—artists and art galleries, and bars and pubs with live entertainment. Parks in Broad Ripple Village are connected by the nationally recognized Monon Trail. Broad Ripple is bordered on the north and west by the White River, on the south by Kessler Boulevard, and on the east by Keystone. While known for its thriving nightlife and music scene, Broad Ripple is also a popular residential neighborhood with its unique architecture, neat bungalows, and well-tended lawns.
3. Butler Tarkington
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
Description: This lovely neighborhood draws its name from Butler University, which relocated to the district in 1928, and Booth Tarkington, a well-known Hoosier author who once lived in the area. The Butler-Tarkington area is bordered by 38th and Meridian Streets and the old Central Canal. The electric street trolleys spurred the development of the area because they allowed city residents to be able to commute to homes farther from the city’s core. Soon streets were lined with gracious mansions. Today, the popular area has a small but vibrant shopping district, beautifully restored homes, and a number of parks and recreational facilities. Affordable fixer-upper homes are still available.
4. Castleton
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
Description: Once a railroad stop, Castleton is now a bustling commercial area with the largest mall in the state, Castleton Square Mall. The area also has office parks, restaurants, hotels and motels, and shops galore. Located in the northeast corner of Indy at the southern terminus of I-69, Castleton is home to about 40,000 residents. The residential neighborhood contains a mix of two-story and ranch-style houses, which are much in demand because of the area’s easy access to commercial amenities and Indy’s interstate road system.
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
6. Clermont
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
Description: Home to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Clermont was once a neighborhood of railroad workers. Economic development has grown in the area with a mix of restaurants, shops, and houses.
7. Cottage Home
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
Description: East of Chatham Arch, Cottage Home gets its name from the style of house built here between 1870 and 1900. Early residents built modest frame cottages in a variety of styles, including shotgun and Queen Anne. Many of the cottages feature turned posts and spindles, gingerbread trim porches, brackets, and fish-scale shingles. Considered the gem of the neighborhood, one architectural exception is the brick residence at 711 Dorman St. Built for Frederick Ruskaup in 1892, this brick mansion was designed by city architects Vonnegut & Bohn. After significant decline, Cottage Home experienced a restoration boom in the mid 1980s and boasts one of the city’s most active neighborhood associations.
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
9. Fletcher Place
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
Description: Named for Calvin Fletcher, whose farm originally encompassed most of the land in the area, Fletcher Place was originally platted in 1857. The neighborhood is a designated historic district with many notable structures, including the Andrew Wallace House, likely designed by noted architect Francis Costigan. Early settlers to the area came from both the South and the East, with Fletcher himself from New England. As it was from the beginning, Fletcher place is a working-class community made up of a variety of ethnic groups. The borders of Fletcher Place are Louisiana Street on the north, I-65 to the south, East Street to the west, and I-70/I-65 to the east.
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
12. Homecroft
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
Description: Located about 5 miles south of downtown, Homecroft was a development of the Frank Gates Real Estate Company in the 1920s. A typical suburb for middle-class families, Homecroft was a way for many to realize the American dream of buying their own homes. Most homes are modern-period styles popular at the time—brick- or stone-veneered houses with Tudor Revival or Colonial Revival elements. Today, Homecroft still retains its suburban feel and community togetherness. Well-kept single homes are shaded by mature maple trees. Banta Road, Tulip Drive, Orinoco Avenue, and the Penn railroad tracks form its borders.
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
14. Little Flower
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation
Description: Developed in the 1920s, the Little Flower neighborhood on the city’s east side got its name from the Little Flower Catholic Church, still an anchor in the area. One of the top private schools in the state, Father Scecina Memorial High School was added to the community in 1953. The majority of the homes are in the Arts and Crafts, California Bungalow, and Tudor Revival styles. Shady mature trees are a bonus, as are large front porches on many of the homes. Little Flower is bounded by 16th Street, 10th Street, Emerson Avenue, and Sherman Drive. Little Flower has an energetic neighborhood association.
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Relocation