MAIN Home Life House & Home Moving Indiana

Literally meaning "Land of the Indians", Indiana is bounded on the north by Lake Michigan and the state of Michigan; on the east by Ohio; on the south by Kentucky, and on the west by Illinois.

Indiana's economy thrives on a contrasting mix of big industry manufacturing (centered along its 41-mile long Lake Michigan waterfront), as well as agriculture in which Indiana plays a leading role among farming states, with corn the principal crop.

The burgeoning population of the state's northwest corner is tied closely to the Chicago metropolitan area, effectively serving as bedroom communities to the Midwest's largest city.

Indiana quality-of-life statistics

Demographics : (Indiana Census Data)
Major cities: Indianapolis (capital), Fort Wayne, Evansville, Bloomington, Gary
Population : 6,313,520
White : 88.6%
Black, African American : 8.8%
Hispanic : 4.5%
High school graduates : 82.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher : 19.4%
Average household income: $43,217

Cost of Living: Compared to the rest of the country, Indiana's cost of living is almost 18% lower than the U.S. average.

Property Taxes : Indiana Tax Climate - Comparatively expensive, with per capita property tax collection totaling $975, ranking 26th highest nationally.

Housing & Real Estate Overview : also see Zillow - Indiana Real Estate
Home ownership rate : 71.4%
Average home price: $100,302
Average travel time to work : 23 minutes

Personal Income Taxes: Indiana imposes a flat 3.4 percent of a taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income. Counties also assess separate income taxes to avoid having to raise local property taxes. Residents must file Indiana Individual Income Tax Form IT 40 each year by April 15.

Schools : see Indiana State Board of Education

Weather : Typically cold in winter and warm & humid in summer, Indiana's winter forecasts are often effected by lake effect snowstorms off Lake Michigan.

Crime : see Indiana Crime Statistics

also see -> Indiana Taxes | Indiana Eviction Laws | Indiana Tourism

Indiana Fall Foliage | Indiana Beaches | Christmas in Indiana

Indiana Wine Tours | Indiana Kids Party Locations

More about moving to Indiana around the Web:

InContext - New & archived reports & features on Indiana economic growth, with trends & statistics on population growth, wages, educational attainment and related census data.

Indiana City Data Forum - Active message boards with discussions on pros and cons of relocating to Indiana featuring Q&A on job hunting, housing & real estate in Indianapolis, Muncie, Fort Wayne and other cities & towns throughout the state.

Indianapolis Board of Realtors - Searchable database of approved real estate agencies, comparison information on neighborhoods & communities in central Indiana, relocation checklists, and related resources.

Moving to Fort Wayne - Links & contact information to Fort Wayne relocation packets, recommended real estate agents, apartment rentals, health care & hospitals, churches, pet care, automotive repair.

Indiana Schools - Search and compare top K-12 schools throughout the state by location or school district.

Welcome to Indiana Churches - Browse information & contact details of churches by denomination in an A-Z list of Indiana towns & cities.

Indiana real estate, apartments & job classifieds:

Indianapolis : IndyStar
Fort Wayne : Journal Gazette
Bloomington : Herald Times