The numbers behind living in Indy

The cost of living in Indianapolis

An aerial shot of downtown with Monument Circle in the distance

Many new developments are cropping up downtown. | Photo via @iandefelice

With Indy constantly growing and undertaking several developments this year, we figured it was time to talk about the cost of planting some roots in the Circle City.

The median household income in Marion County is $59,504, according to the US Census Bureau. State-wise, Indiana is No. 38 in the country for median income at ~$62,743 per household.

A screenshot of a cost of living chart — The overall cost of living in Indianapolis is lower than the national average.

The overall cost of living in Indy is lower than the national average, but higher than the rest of the state. This also goes for the cost of health care, groceries, transportation, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Breaking down the numbers

Hypothetically speaking, if you live in a household that brings in $60,000 annually — according to experts — you shouldn’t spend more than 30% of your monthly gross income on rent and utilities. Don’t worry, we did the math for you — your max monthly budget would be $1,500. The average monthly rent for an apartment in Indy is $1,195 — leaving you little to no wiggle room.

According to a recent study by Attom Data Solutions, it’s actually more affordable to buy a home in Marion County than to rent.

Meanwhile, if you’re wondering how much you can currently afford to spend on buying a home in Indy, try using SmartAsset’s cost calculator. Factors like your marital status, annual pre-tax income, down payment, and monthly debt will help determine that figure. According to BestPlaces, the median home cost in Indianapolis is $221,900.

Take a look at the chart below to see how Indy’s cost of living compares to that of Fort Wayne, IN.

Interested in seeing Indy’s cost of living compared to cities in other states? We played around on nerdwallet’s cost of living calculator, where you can put in any city along with your current pre-tax household income to find out what other cities you could actually afford to live in.

We took a look at the cost of living in Indy compared to Chicago, IL. Here’s what we found:

The cost of living is 24% higher in Chicago.
To maintain our Hoosier standard of living in Chicago, we would need to bring in $61,967 to our household.
The median cost for a two-bedroom apartment is $3,176, which is $1,881 more than Indy.

Local housing + developments

Indy has entities such as the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana + other government-funded programs to help develop more affordable units.

There are also a number of local development firms working on apartments seemingly all the time — from 1820 Ventures LLC’s redevelopment plans downtown to the affordable housing additions to the Monon 30 Project.

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Today

Fall Boat and RV Show | Fri., Sept. 23-Sun., Sept. 25 | 10 a.m.-8 p.m. | Indiana State Fairgrounds | $8+ | View, try + buy from a selection of new and used model boats and RVs. 🛥️
The Lifespan of a Fact | Fri., Sept. 23-Sun., Sept. 25 | 2 p.m. + 7 p.m. | Phoenix Theatre, 705 N. Illinois St. | $25+ | See a fact checker, writer + editor battle over facts and truth. 🎭

Saturday

International Arts Festival | Sat., Sept. 24-Sun., Sept. 25 | 11 a.m.-7 p.m. | Main Street + Rangeline Road, Carmel | Free | A juried art exhibit with hands-on activities for visitors of all ages. 🎨
Cycles | Sat., Sept. 24 | 9 p.m. | The Mousetrap, 5565 N. Keystone Ave. | $12+ | See the band described as a “speeding freight train of sound.”

Sunday

Indy Eleven vs. Loudoun United FC | Sun., Sept. 25 | 5 p.m. | Carroll Stadium, 1001 W. New York St. | $33+ | ⚽

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*

100+ MORE EVENTS

Now entering: Indy’s golden age of robotics

🤖

Most robotic automation is complex and expensive, but Ally Robotic’s programming-free robots represent a step forward for affordable automation. | Photo provided by Ally Robotics

The year is 2022. Robotics company CEO Mitch Tolson is tasked with automating production in a popular fast food chain — and he invents a new type of robot to do it.

It’s not science fiction — Ally Robotics has created a first-of-its-kind scalable robot that bypasses the need for programming and learns by watching humans work.

Hoosiers are invited to invest in robotic technology (a $114 billion market) before it rolls out across agriculture, construction, and manufacturing industries — the investment deadline is Thurs., Sept. 29.*

INVEST

Weather

67º | Mostly cloudy | 6% chance of rain

Coming Soon

Sierra — a discount outdoor retailer — is on its way to Carmel for its first location in Indiana. The 17,855-sqft space at 10025 N. Michigan Rd. will offer brands like Eddie Bauer + Columbia Sportswear.🌲 (IBJ)
In spring 2023, Patachou plans to open a breakfast + lunch spot in The Lemon Bar’s former location in Zionsville. Because of the size of the building on 95 E. Pine St., the classic menu will be an edited version — don’t worry, cinnamon toast is expected to make the cut. 🍳 (IBJ)

Sports

To round out another baseball season, the Indians are hosting Fan Appreciation Weekend today + tomorrow, during which there will be a Circle City jersey auction and scratch-offs to win prizes. Plus, don’t miss the fireworks after each game. Get the details. ⚾
Changes are coming this football season, Hoosiers. Lucas Oil Stadium rolled out a list of new amenities + updates, including mobile parking passes, a sensory wall, grab-and-go concessions, larger video boards, and phone charging stations. See the full list. 🏈 (WISH)

Edu

A new website was announced this week by the Indiana State Board of Education to make it easier for parents to understand data about their child’s school. The Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed (GPS) Dashboard will provide visual data relating to reading + math scores, as well as college credit. (WISH)

Ranked

IND was given even more accolades this week — landing on the top of the J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Survey for medium-sized airports for the fifth time. The study was based on 26,000+ surveys and IND received an overall customer satisfaction rating of 842 out of 1,000. ✈️ (IBJ)

Arts

The Eighteen + GANGGANG will be presenting a new exhibit at Newfields entitled “We the Culture: Works by the Eighteen Art Collective.” Starting today, you can works that celebrate an inclusive future by the artists responsible for the Black Lives Matter mural formerly on Indiana Avenue. Learn more and get tickets. 🎨

DYK

Big Lew’s Tattoos, which opened just south of downtown in June, was opened by a 21-year-old. Samuel Lewis is perhaps Indiana’s newest + youngest professional tattoo shop owner and he started doing tattoos on himself at 14. The average age of a tattoo shop owner is 41. (WTHR)

Shop

Time to feel the fall breeze + enjoy the autumn leaves with the Fall For Your City Sale happening now on Six & Main, INDYtoday’s online shop. Take 20% off the entire Fall For Your City Collection now through Sun., Sept. 25.

Community

Show your support for local journalism by joining the INDYtoday membership program. Membership has some awesome perks like member-only birthday deals, discounts from our online shop, Six & Main + more. Plus, 100% of membership funds help support our local editors — that’s us, Nicole + Anna. Learn more + sign up. 💻

Real Estate

Cleaning and staging and strangers, oh my. Did you know you can get an offer on your house without a single in-person showing? Learn how.*

Wellness

We’ve all been there — trouble falling and staying asleep is infuriating. Your mind races, you toss and turn, and the harder you try, the harder it is to drift off. Healthycell is a new, drug-free, pill-free sleep supplement to help you fall asleep faster, sleep deeply + wake up refreshed. Use code 6AM for 20% off.*

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What’s in store for this vintage gem?

One near-east side diner’s future in Indianapolis, IN

You can find the Sanitary Diner at 99 Cruse St. | Photo by INDYtoday team

The possibilities are endless for this vacant diner tucked just behind Futuro on the near east side.

When we posted about this hidden gem back in January, you all seemed very interested in learning about its current status. Well, it looks like that’s still being decided.

It appears it’s currently occupied by 1820 Ventures LLC, who recently asked its Instagram followers what should be done with the space, saying “it really wants to be the epicenter of Elevator Hill.”

If you ask us, we think it should remain a diner + serve all the Hoosier classics — tenderloins, sweet corn, and sugar cream pie. What would you like to see?

We know what you’re thinking: what’s up with the name? The decision to call it “The Sanitary Diner” was apparently meant to advertise its cleanliness back in the 1930s, when tuberculosis was still prevalent.

THE WRAP

	Today’s issue was written by Anna. Editor’s pick: Did anyone else notice the uncanny ~20 degree drop in temperature on the equinox yesterday? The witching season has started off with a bang + I’m looking forward to Hocus Pocus themed cupcakes, spooky trips to The Magick Candle + catching The Black Hat Society at Irvington’s Halloween festival parade. Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Your guide to fall festivals.
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Editorial: Anna Bowman, Nicole Hernandez, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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