[RocktimusPryme]

This is probably lame but I dont know anyone from the area so I dont know who to ask. Im sure some would ask why I would want to move from California, but I live in the worse part of California. I hate the desert. Its dead. My truck bed is literally filled with tumbleweeds right now that grew in my yard while I was away for work.

Anyway, for 4 years I have been a deployable aircraft mechanic. Ive been kicking around the idea of getting out. The money is good but Im tired of spending half my life in Iraq and Afghanistan. I got an offer from Crane at the big Naval research facility there (Which is weird for it to be in Indiana.)

Nearest notably sized city is Bloomington, which looks nice. I dont have anything to go on but pictures and some livability metrics. I was thinking I would live slightly outside of it so I can buy a decent sized piece of land and hopefully a couple outbuildings for my obvious hobby.

So from anyone thats been in the area how is it? Riddled with meth? Not bad? Im originally from western wisconsin, the winters there are brutal, but it seems like while you get a clear 4 seasons in Lower Indiana some of the bite is removed.

Topography is the super hilly? How necessary is 4wd in the winter? Right now I daily drive a 2007 Corvette. Im guessing thats a bad idea there, should I trade the corvette in for a truck before I leave California? Prices might be a little higher but I would guess its better to buy a used truck that has never seen salt.

[johnta1]

Do you like basketball?



Santa Claus land is around there I think.
Actually the area is beautiful, don't know about living there though.
I'm more the central Illinois guy.



Probably be like night and day difference in living.

[RocktimusPryme]

Dude, just being home for all the time will be a difference in living. I have like no friends here, I know a few guys from work but they do the same thing I do so chances are when Im home they are gone. Females its a hard sell to date when you know your going to be gone in a month.

Its a paycut, but anything was going to be from deployment pay. But Im about 60k positive in my house here and houses are cheaper there. I paid 240 for mine I think I can get into something I like there for around 200 and be able to put 50k or so down from my house sale. So my mortgage would go way down. General cost of living should be a little cheaper, I think I can make it work.

It just kinda sucks to be moving to somewhere where I dont know anyone again for the second time in 5 years.

The pay is very solid, the only hook is no relocation assistance, and moving isnt cheap.

[lemansboy70]

I live in Evansville. Not too far from there. Nice area. You will be in major I.U. Hoosier country ( I'm a KY Wildcat fan myself).

Bloomington has all the major shopping areas. You will get four seasons alright. Sometime all four in a 48hr period. 4wd is nice, but not always necessary. Easy drive to Evansville, Indianapolis and Louisville. Lots of car shows and cruise-ins in the area. Pretty laid back.

Your Vette wouldn't really be out of place here. Lots of Vette's in the area with a good size Vette club in Newburgh. Lots of good winding roads for fun time!

[RocktimusPryme]

Originally Posted by lemansboy70

I live in Evansville. Not too far from there. Nice area. You will be in major I.U. Hoosier country ( I'm a KY Wildcat fan myself).

Bloomington has all the major shopping areas. You will get four seasons alright. Sometime all four in a 48hr period. 4wd is nice, but not always necessary. Easy drive to Evansville, Indianapolis and Louisville. Lots of car shows and cruise-ins in the area. Pretty laid back.

Your Vette wouldn't really be out of place here. Lots of Vette's in the area with a good size Vette club in Newburgh. Lots of good winding roads for fun time!

Good! reinforcing the image I had in my head.

I was more speaking of the Vette daily driving all year round like I do here. It would probably be out of place there in the winter I meant.

[lemansboy70]

I drive a MINI Cooper to work every day. Even in the really bad stuff.

I forgot to mention there are a lot of Pontiacs in this area. Indy and Louisville have POCI and GTOAA affiliations.

You will find that people around here are generally friendly and once they catch on that your a "car guy" you'll have lots of friends. I've broke down on just about all the roads in this area and have never had to wait long for a helping hand.

[The Champ]

I don't know much about southern/central Indiana, but I have been contemplating relocating in retirement.

Here's a couple of websites that I think do a good job of helping you compare different areas:

https://www.bankrate.com/calculators....6396176261573

http://www.bestplaces.net/compare-cities/

The first one is just focused on cost of living.

The second one looks at all aspects - cost of living, climate, crime, economy, housing, health, education, people, transportation, religion and voting.

Personally, the desire to leave CA makes perfect sense to me. I have lived there, but after living there for 7 months I knew that I never wanted to live there again. I have some great visits to CA, but after a week or so I've had enough of it to last me a few years.

Other opinions may vary.

[skullbucket]

1: Meth is everywhere, doesn't really affect you if you stay away from those people, low murder rate, ETC.
2: I'll just say you can't drive a vette year round, we just got done with 7 degree, 65 degree, 7 degree, 4 inches of snow, 2 inches of snow, 20 degree for two days, 40 degree for two days, weekend was 45 to 50, today was 60 all night and day, how can it be 60 degrees at night time in January.
3: Cost of living is low compared to Cali, money to be saved off selling your house and moving here.
4: We are Southern hicks but not Southern trash.
5: Santa Claus/ Holiday world is maybe 1 hour away from that area as is lots of bigger cities 2 to 3 hours away.
6: It would be a good move from where you are at but any move is a whole different world from where you are at.
Thats all just a start. (PS), did I mention trees and corn fields????

[lemansboy70]

THATS RIGHT! I forgot to mention lots and lots of corn. Corn as far as the eye can see. Corn, corn, corn................................


I hope you like corn.

[ponchjoe]

Call me if you want to I live just north of Columbus Indiana. PM for my number

I have an old family friend that still works at Crane I think...

[RocktimusPryme]

Ponchojoe I might take you up on that if I actually accept the job. its not a done deal yet, Im leaning yes, but I pressed him pretty hard on wages. I suppose he could decide to recend the offer. I asked for a couple days so I could consult my realtor and all. I didnt want to snap say yes and realize I got myself in over my head with no plan moving costs, not to mention Ill probably have to do the extended stay thing there until my house sells here.

I was mostly joking about the meth, as long as its not being cooked in my basement I really dont care.

You know the one thing that does suck I noticed is all those little towns where I was investigating real estate dont have a gym. You pretty much have to go to Bloomington to get a gym.

[skullbucket]

Most jobs are manufacturing and after working in a factory all day you don't really feel like working out, plus you can still going walking out in the public without getting involved in a drive by.

[West Coast GTO]

I was born in Sullivan, Indiana way back in the 50's, moved to California until high school, spent all high school years in North Knox county( Bicknell, Indiana) and then moved back to California. Recently moved from California to Idaho and glad I did.
Never really needed a 4x4 but chains or studded tires was a yes when living there or cold season visiting family. One of my uncles worked at Crane until his death and spoke highly of his work there. In my opinion, rural life definitely better than pretty much all of Southern California and the people are just plain nicer. There appears to be a meth issue from criminals stealing the plant fertilizer( anhydrous ammonia) for drug manufacturing but nothing anywhere near as bad as SoCal.

[marxjunk]

I lived in Corydon Indiana for 5 years..30 mi west of Louisville...just a great place to live as an independent closet hillbilly ..i lived 7 miles from town in 1000s of acres of corn....did anything and everything i wanted and didnt GAF what the neighbors thought or cared, and they felt the same towards me...do your thing, just be respectful and leave us alone...worked perfect for me...

loved the weather...3 or 4 times a year you needed 4 wheel drive..in late Jan early Feb,, we got a cold spell with ice, but i remember all the time working outside year-round...I like 40ish degree weather to work in..the first year i filled my propane tank for heat in my shop..and never did again...i just didnt need it..i lived on top of what they called a mountain(not really) more like a plateau, at the edge of some hilly land... and all summer long there was a breeze and big trees...it was heaven dude..and i miss it...

loved most of the people..huge car culture...i liked being in indiana, ohio and kentucky with just a short drive...went to florida a couple times etc...bought so many cars, had so many good connections, the car hobby was huge..absolutely loved Cincinnati...went there all the time

hated Louisville....cant explain it..but here it is in a nutshell...Good Ole Boy syndrome..hated it..its "who ya know" that you are judged..not the value you bring to the table...couldnt wait to get away from there...had a few friends, but they where just acquaintances...lots of "users"...but it was my trade, not "the people" i believe now.. called yankee the whole time i was there..and im from freakin Arkansas...i got there just in time for them to start shipping in Katrina refugees and in one year Louisville got to be a bad place to be for me...i always called it the armpit of Kentucky, but dont really feel that way now....well..

Ive been back in Missouri 10 years now, and i catch myself always, and mean always saying..."i shouldnt have left Indiana"..i miss it...i dream about it..and once in a awhile say "F-it..I'm going back to Indiana"...although, Ive traveled for work for most of my "adult" life..ive never been anywhere better than S Indiana...and I'm self motivated etc...I can fit in anywhere if i want to and i blend in well....I just really miss Indiana.......

So yes...id recommend Indiana...the joke of Indiana is, "no one is really from there, they are just there, on their way to somewhere else"...

theres a lot of "Haves" but a whole bunch more "Have nots" its drastic in some areas, and like everywhere..theres places to be and not...

[Cardo]

You can call me too, PM for my number. Word for word i agree with Marxjunk. I transferred here 20 years ago next month, and love southern Indiana, but also can't stand Louisville. I work in Louisville, and can't wait to get out of there every day. Economy is fairly healthy, but refer to Marxjunk post. He really nailed it.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Bedford,IN is the closest town to Crane. Nice place with a relatively low cost of living. Bloomington is the Berkley of Indiana. Meth is everywhere in IN but so is heroin. You just need to ask lots of questions before you buy a house. We left our house basically unattended for five years (2011-2016) with ZERO intrusions. If you have any questions, PM me. BTW...Holiday World (Santa Claus Land) is in Spencer Co., IN. That's about an hour south of Bedford or Mitchell.

[RocktimusPryme]

I have no idea what this Santa Clause world is several of you guys have mentioned. I assume its a theme park. How much of the year are golf courses open in that area of the world? I saw Lyons drag strip was nearby, but when I looked it only had a 2017 event schedule. I assume they close for the winter.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Large theme park in Santa Claus, IN owned by the Koch (pronounced "Cook") family. Most of the golf courses around here are open through November. I don't play the links (fused spines and golf are a no-no), but I know there are several really good courses in this area. One thing I can tell you as a native Hoosier is folks here can be a tad overly friendly, but they're also good neighbors who really don't give a red rip what you do as long as it doesn't bother them. The section of I-69 between Bedford and Crane is complete. The section from Bloomington to Bedford is still under construction (they're utilizing the old IN37 roadbed) and is a freaking mess.

[skullbucket]

Whats funny is the more I reserarch and talk to people the more I find out how "intertwined" this lower Southern Indiana is to the "street outlaws racers" and the secret street racing scene is strong if you know who and where to look. By the way Big Chief is from Louisville KY! (Shively area). And "JJ da Boss' and some connections to some good ole boys in Kentucky!

[Ben M.]

As someone who relocated from California to slightly further south, the one thing that's going to be the biggest shock is RUST. On EVERYTHING old unless it's garage kept. No more decent projects for cheap that don't require replacing every body panel.

And yeah, there's winter. And salt. LOTS of salt. 4WD isn't absolutely necessary. Driving a 'vette year round probably will not be something you want to do solely to keep it nice, traction issues in the snow notwithstanding. If you like driving it, by all means keep it, winter beaters are cheap enough. I drive a Lincoln Town Car and it does fine enough in the snow and ice.

What everyone else said about meth and "haves" and "have nots" is very relevant too. If you live outside the cities it will definitely be a "you do your thing, I'll do mine and never shall the two intertwine" situation. It's great for people who like to be independent and have a bit of solitude away from people.