Great place for a family, great place for a corpor
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6/14/2012
I read varied reviews when I moved here from the east coast 3 years ago - some good, some not so good. Now I feel I can give a reasonable reflection that I hope will be helpful for folks considering a move here.
Terre Haute is a city still reeling from the NAFTA impacts of the 1990's. While there were at one time, many factories and distributors, many of these have moved overseas. Not surprisingly, the infrastructure here is great - Airport, Railway, highway access, and the like. The downside is that much of the infrastructure requires upkeep and the taxes in the city are heavier than average. If I was still in business, I would move my HQ here since it is very well located, three major universities in town (including the #1 ranked engineering school for undergrads - Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and several highly ranked schools within an hour's drive), many inexpensive corporate spaces in prime locations, an inexpensive and educated labor force, and a close proximity to Indianapolis (~1 hour away) for most anything that is needed.
On the family side, the housing is cheap, even for prime real estate. Most neighborhoods are safe, and the hoosiers (folks from Indiana) are wonderful. They are friendly without being nosey, they are informed and interested in making the city a nicer place to live. The schools here are middle of the road for K-12. The activities are inexpensive and available for families.
The weather is varied - we seem to miss most major storms, but the summers are warm-hot, and winters are moderate-cold. For those who eat out a lot, most venues are available and inexpensive. For more varied tastes, Indianapolis has many treats.
Overall, middle America (the crossroads of America) is very good for the family here. Try Terre Haute, you will like it more than you expect!
Bp | Terre Haute, IN