When the age of retirement comes along everyone should see this as an opportunity for a brand new adventure, so we made up a list for you to take into consideration, presenting the 10 best places to retire in Indiana.
Moving to a new house can be nerve-racking, but exciting at the same time. Moving to a new state, far from what you know can be even more so, but what better time to do it than the moment you’re no longer tied to a place by your job?
None, we believe, so we thought we should take a look at Indiana and figure out which are the best places to move to. To start things off, we should mention how we made our selection. First, we checked out all the counties and ruled out those with less than 15,000 residents. Then, we took into consideration the average house cost, the average commute time, the cost of living index, the crime rate, and the number of doctors per 100,000 residents since healthcare is such an important topic. Then we handed out points depending on each county’s rank and added things up.
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Data comes from Sperling’s Best Places, a site that puts together information from a number of governmental sources to give you the latest numbers you should care about. For reference’s sake, Indiana has a population of about 6.5 million people and the average house cost is $115,000. The cost of living index for the entire state is 86.4, with 100 being the national average, while the crime rate is 42. The number of physicians per 100,000 residents is 216, and all counties that have a higher rate than this received extra points.
Before we delve into our list of best places to retire in Indiana, we should point out that you can also take a look at the 10 best places to retire in Iowa, another topic we published recently.
10. Bartholomew
Average house cost – $137,500
Cost of living index – 90.3
Crime rate – 38
Doctors per 100K – 232
Average commute time – 19.34
Total – 12 points
In the southern area of Indiana sits Bartholomew County, home to over 76,000 people. It’s not a particularly large county, covering some 409 square miles, but it’s large enough to make you feel right at home.
Houses cost $137,500 on average in this County, quite a bit over the state’s average. The cost of living index is also a bit higher than the average in Indiana, but still some 10 points below the US average. The crime rate reported in Bartholomew is below the state’s average, while the number of physicians available for 100,000 people is above the 216 average across Indiana, up to 232, which is obviously good news. And now, let’s see what else we have in our list of best places to retire in Indiana.
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9. Randolph
Average house cost – $77,500
Cost of living index – 79.8
Crime rate – 38
Doctors per 100K – 50
Average commute time – 22.13
Total – 13 points
Bordering Ohio, Randolph County that ranks 9th in our list of best places to retire in Indiana, isn’t a large community. In fact, it is called home by over 26,000 people spread over 453 square miles. With a history of close to 200 years, Randolph County is the place where the White River and the Whitewater River originate from.
The average house cost is quite low, namely $77,500, according to Sperling’s Best Places, which is more than ok if you’re trying to buy a new home. Depending on where you’re coming from, you might even be able to put something aside after selling your old place. The cost of living here is quite great, too, not even hitting 80. On the other hand, the number of physicians is rather low so you might have to travel outside the country for a more comprehensive medical examination.
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8. Cass
Average house cost – $80,000
Cost of living index – 78.9
Crime rate – 38
Doctors per 100K – 121
Average commute time – 20.11
Total – 14 points
In the northern area of the state sits Cass County, with a population of close to 40,000 people, out of which nearly half live in Logansport, the county’s seat city. The average house cost in this area is $80,000 which is an acceptable price. Of course, depending on your needs and on how deep your pockets are, you’ll be able to find suitable accommodations, whether that’s higher or lower than the median.
The cost of living index is 78.9, so depending on where you’re coming from, you’ll be able to put something aside every month by saving up or finally be able to splurge on something nice every once in a while. The downside is the number of physicians per 100,000 residents, which is 121, well below the state average. On the bright side, however, if you can’t find the medical help you need, it won’t be too hard to drive to a different county.
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7. Warrick
Average house cost – $141,000
Cost of living index – 91.8
Crime rate – 28
Doctors per 100K – 407
Average commute time – 22.43
Total – 14 points
Bordering Kentucky in the south-west area of Indiana sits Warrick County that ranks 7th in our list of best places to retire in Indiana. It is home to some 60,000 people. Spreading over some 391 square miles, Warrick has its seat in Boonville, a city that had some 6,000 residents.
Houses sell for $141,000 on average, which is quite a bit expensive compared to other locations. On the other hand, the cost of living index is 91.8, making for quite a bit of saving compared to other places in the United States. The number of physicians per 100,000 residents is also 407, which is nearly double than the state average. That’s also in part due to the large number of hospitals, emergency rooms and clinics throughout the area.
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6. Vermillion
Average house cost – $76,700
Cost of living index – 79.6
Crime rate – 36
Doctors per 100K – 37
Average commute time – 24.47
Total – 15 points
Home to over 16,000 people, Vermillion County that ranks 6th in our list of best places to retire in Indiana is one of the smallest in the state. The 260 square mile county is located in the western area of Indiana, bordering Illinois. Fun fact, part of the border it shares with Illinois with a county also named Vermillion. Records indicate that they are just two of twenty-two counties or parishes in the United States that share the same name while bordering each other across state lines.
The average house costs just under $77,000, which is rather low compared to other areas. The cost of living index is also rather great, sitting at 79.6, meaning you’ll definitely save up some money since not many locations across the United States have such a low index. On the other hand, however, you’ll have to travel a bit to get more in-depth medical care since data indicates there are only 37 physicians per 100,000 people in Vermillion County.
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5. Sullivan
Average house cost – $76,500
Cost of living index – 79.6
Crime rate – 34
Doctors per 100K – 42
Average commute time – 24.86
Total – 17 points
Situated on the western border, right next to Illinois, Sullivan County that’s up next in our list of best places to retire in Indiana is home to over 21,000 people. The average house cost is $76.500 in this county, so the prices are quite ok regardless of how deep your pockets are. The cost of living index is low as well, sitting at 79.6. The number of physicians for 100,000 people is 42, meaning that you might have to travel a bit to get access to a complete medical treatment.
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4. Hamilton
Average house cost – $212,700
Cost of living index – 107.3
Crime rate – 27
Doctors per 100K – 528
Average commute time – 26.38
Total – 17 points
At number four we have one of the most populated counties in the whole state – Hamilton County, home to over 274,000 people. Situated in the center of Indiana, Hamilton County spreads over 402 square miles and has a humid continental temperate climate, meaning the springs and falls are pleasant, while the winters are cold and humid.
On average the houses here cost $212,700, which is rather steep, but there are certainly homes that go for a lot cheaper than this available for purchase. It all depends, of course, on how deep your pockets go and how much you’re willing to spend. The cost of living is also a bit above the national average, sitting at 107.3. On the bright side, however, you’ll have access to great medical care as the number of physicians per 100,000 residents is 528, the second largest in Indiana.
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3. Vanderburgh
Average house cost – $111,400
Cost of living index – 86.1
Crime rate – 56
Doctors per 100K – 293
Average commute time – 18.91
Total – 19 points
Located in the south-west area of Indiana, Vanderburgh County, the number three in our list of best places to retire in Indiana, is home to nearly 180,000 people, making it the seventh largest in the state. Bordering Kentucky, Vanderburgh spreads over 236 square miles.
The average house cost in this county is $111,400, while the cost of living index is 86.1, meaning you’ll probably save up a bit every month. The number of physicians per 100,000 residents is 293, quite a bit above the state average.
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2. Grant
Average house cost – $80,500
Cost of living index – 79.3
Crime rate – 43
Doctors per 100K – 133
Average commute time –19.03
Total – 19 points
Grant County is home to over 70,000 people and some of the most important paleontological discoveries in the state. The cost of living index in the area is 79.3, quite low for any area in the United States.
On the down side, the number of physicians per 100,000 people is 133, which means you might have to take a longer trip than you’d want for some more in-depth investigations.
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1. Boone
Average house cost – $183,100
Cost of living index – 101.3
Crime rate – 27
Doctors per 100K – 662
Average commute time – 24.07
Total – 19 points
At the top of the list of the 10 best places to retire in Indiana is Boone County. Home to over 56,600 people, Boone is known for offering quite great healthcare to residents. That’s because it has a high concentration of doctors, reaching 662 physicians per 100,000 people.
The average house costs $183,100 in Boone County, while the cost of living index is 101.3. The crime rate is low, sitting at 27, so you should be quite safe here. All in all, these have been the 10 best places to retire in Indiana.
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