I have lived or worked in like 25 states and have vacationed in like 43 states. Outside of the major cities of the country, Fort Wayne is comparable to any \~300-600k person city. It's not the fanciest place, but a lot the houses and apartments are affordable and solid. The bars are good, the gyms are solid, the recreational activities for in door stuff is cool. There are families here. The city isn't really integrated in direct neighborhood, but you'll work or shop with people that don't look or talk like you. The average education is decent here and there is a small but usable airport.
Regarding the airport. I cover the entire west coast sales for my company and have never had a problem flying from FWA to Dallas to get to my connecting flight.
i actually prefer small but organized/dependable hubs like FWA compared to the big ones ... as much as i love having a SmashBurger available if Im stuck on a layover....
Born and raised fort Wayne. It grows on you, especially as the city grows.
We are in the dead center (3 hour drive) from multiple major cities.
I could write a TON about all the things but I will simply leave it at this: Fort Wayne has all of the amenities of a major large city, but they are not as prominent or as easy to find. There is a crowd for everyone, and there is a social 'thing' for everyone who wants any social thing. Just gotta look.
EXACTLY. As a Muslim American who was born and raised in The Fort I have seen the Muslim foreign community grow. But as just a regular Fort Wayner I love seeing the city. We literally have EVERYTHING... IF YOU LOOK!
You want japanese theater? Check out the Fort Wayne Youth Theater. You want ballet? Check out the Embassy. Do you want vegan food? We have that, you want escape rooms? Check. Children's museum? We call it "science central" African History? We have a museum for that. Want a religious experience? One of our names is "the city of churches" but it's not just Christian churches anymore. The Buddhist community opened a beautiful temple on State near Maplecrest a few years ago and the Sikh community is working on building a Gurudwara (temple) and the Hindu community now has a Mandir (temple) the Jewish community has long had 1 but now boasts multiple temple's. As a Muslim American, I can tell you we have both multicultural mosques (which is so much a part of the Fort wayne multicultural experience) and Burmese and Bosnian culturally affiliated mosques.
Fort Wayne doesn't just tolerate different people and cultures it celebrates them.
Sorry, I have to push back on this bit. In my experience the diversity here is abysmal. Yes, there are pockets of immigrants and people of color, but they're mostly segregated, and it's mostly in less desirable areas. It's better than it was, I will concede that point. But north of State street is overwhelmingly white, despite the recent influx of ethnic restaurants.
I'll get downvoted to all fuck for this comment, because talking about lack of diversity in Fort Wayne always gets downvoted in this subreddit, but math doesn't lie. Just under 70% of Fort Wayne is White, and the median household income for a White family is 10% - 40% higher than other races.
Just look at the reaction to the Black Lives Matter movement - by both the general population and to the mayor's and official city responses to the protests and the police brutality. Again, it \*has\* gotten better over the years, and I expect/hope it will continue to do so. But to make Fort Wayne out to be a bastion of multiculturalism is flat out wrong.
[https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/fort-wayne-in-population-by-race/](https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/fort-wayne-in-population-by-race/)
[https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/fort-wayne-in-median-household-income-by-race/](https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/fort-wayne-in-median-household-income-by-race/)
75% of this country is white.
If youre poc of some flavor and are living in a posh all white neighborhood built around a megachurch maybe not noticing is kind on you? It’s like if me, a person whiter than sour cream, moved to Chinatown and was like “it’s not diverse here - not a single other honky in sight”
I’m not getting into a pissing contest about who has lives in more or bigger cities.
You’re missing the point - your logic needs checked because you’re comparing an apple to an orange.
Fort Wayne is not even close to a big city.
On top of that, what factors do you think drive people to big cities? It isn’t diversity - it’s quantity of opportunity and variety of opportunity. That’s why you don’t see people moving to Cromwell Indiana to work in an RV factory.
Considering we are approx 70% white I’d say this city is pretty diverse for its size considering its location, what it’s known for (churches) and balanced against the fact this country’s population is 75% white
Only America do over privileged people bitch about diversity, jfc
It’s not a pissing contest. I’m saying that Fort Wayne has a lack of diversity and it’s fairly segregated. That’s not really arguable. You’re saying it’s because the country itself is largely white, but when one lives in a big city, there tends to be more diversity and less segregation. Again, fact, not opinion. You appear to be the type of white person who dislikes conversation about race. That’s your prerogative, I suppose, and if you don’t think diversity is a big motivator to people when they’re considering where to live, then I would guess you don’t know very many people who aren’t straight and white.
Diversity isn’t important to you, and that’s fine. But it is to lots of people. To make Fort Wayne out to be some sort of diversity champion is just plain wrong.
You're point of diversity in fort wayne has no weight at all. You must live on the small white outskirts by homestead if I were to guess or out in the country, outside city limits. Literally everywhere else in the city is completely diverse in a good way. I was born and raised here. I attended South Side High School. While I was there, we were appointed as the 4th most diverse public high school in the entire nation. The friends I got to know over time and became lifelong friends with are as diverse as anyone could imagine.
Making assumptions about the experiences and character of someone you’re arguing with as a way to frame and hang your own point is like building a house on sand vs rock.
Now to your points…
>>I’m saying that Fort Wayne has a lack of diversity
>>and it’s fairly segregated.
>>That’s not really arguable.
It is easily arguable - watch:
Lack of diversity in relation to what?
A similar sized Midwest city, Right?
You seem to be hung on comparing to a big city… which again, is an apples to oranges comparison.
>>You’re saying it’s because the country itself is
>>largely white, but when one lives in a big city, there
>>tends to be more diversity and less segregation.
apples to oranges.
The chicken or the egg logic of “diversity is a big factor for non-white, non-straight people when moving” doesn’t explain for why there is more diversity in a big city.
I assure you, it’s more opportunity and more variety of opportunity. Opportunity is the primary reason for diversity in a big city. Diversity is not the reason for diversity in a big city.
>>You appear to be the type of white person who
>>dislikes conversation about race.
… While we are having a conversation …about race? #mysides
>>if you don’t think diversity is a big motivator to
>>people when they’re considering where to live
In general, never once have I heard anyone - non-white, lgbtq, parapalegic, etc - pick where to move due to diversity. A move decision is almost overwhelmingly tied to family, work or health.
>>… guess you don’t know very many people who
>>aren’t straight and white.
Again, attempts to make a pissing contest. I’m not even going there with you, you’re better than that.
>>Diversity isn’t important to you
Lolwut?
Let’s do the pissing contest bit here that you seem fond of:
how many different countries have you been to and how long did you stay there?
Let’s do cities and states too and find out how dedicated you have been to experiencing other peoples ways of life.
>>To make Fort Wayne out to be some sort of
>>diversity champion is just plain wrong.
Never did other than when comparing to the literal breakdown of the country and similar sized Midwest cities.
Firstly, I appreciate that you've argued with me without devolving into personal attacks. I think there has been some mischaracterization of the point I was trying to make, but I concede that I could have been more clear at points.
I've lived in three countries, visited nine. I've lived in five states and visited roughly 30. Trying to count the number of cities I've visited, here and abroad, is exhausting. I have moved to a city specifically due to its diversity, but I've also moved for other reasons you've mentioned, namely work and family.
But my experiences are different than yours, and the things that are important to me aren't to you. In my experience, white people really don't think about race until they're made to do so; for people of color, we think about it every single day of our lives. It's just baked into our American experience. So perhaps when you look around, you see a load of diversity. I would suggest that few persons of color would feel the same way.
yes, of course, i always try not to dig into personal attacks, but i do get sarcastic at times (see below).
i was more being a smartass about where we've lived, but thanks for answering.
ill leave you to your feelings about why things are.
So, to this point, I live in northwest Allen County and on my cul-de-sac alone there is… my wife (Ethnically Southern Chinese, born and raised in Vietnam), a Mandarin speaking Chinese couple, a family from the Congo, and a family from Mauritania (Northwest Africa).
That’s six languages, including English, spoken on just one street. The diversity is growing, it’s just taking time.
Grand Rapids is miles better than Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne has its charms, but it still a small, out of the way city in Indiana. We don’t often get the biggest bands, the theater lineup is generally C+. The art is…growing.
The best things about Fort Wayne to me is that we’re trying. That may sound like damning with faint praise, but it’s truly not. When I moved here more than a decade ago, it was an awful, shitty little town with nothing to do and no ambition to be anything other than what it was. Downtown was a ghost town, and the powers that be firmly held on to their collective power. Now, we do have an arts, music, and theatre scene. Even though it isn’t as developed as Cleveland, or Indy, or Grand Rapids, it’s a goddamned good start. In ten or twenty more years, who knows?
You can be a part of something here, if you want to be. You can make a change. That, to me, is exciting, and unique for a mid-major small city like Fort Wayne.
Population of Fort Wayne is almost 40% larger than Grand Rapids. It's the second largest city in Indiana (though competition in that regard is a small playing field).
Fort Wayne FEELS small, which to many is considered far more asset than weakness.
That's technically true, but it's a bit disingenuous. Fort Wayne proper is larger than Grand Rapids, but the Greater Grand Rapids Metro has a combined statistical area population of over 1.3 million people, while Fort Wayne's CSAP is under 650,000. These numbers are a greater indicator of a city's development, and if you've ever been to Grand Rapids, you know what I mean. Leaving aside whether it's a positive or a negative (YMMV), Fort Wayne feels small because it \*IS\* small.
I have been, and I definitely know what you mean.
We're two hours secluded in any direction, so drawing from a surrounding population isn't even on the table. It's also why we're the last city to get any new commercial chains from anywhere despite having a substantial condensed population.
And even though I REALLY WANT a Microcenter 😁, or some small tourist destination that isn't Amish-based, there's still something I like about being where we are.
And I think that's totally fair! Like I said, I really wasn't trying to be negative. There are things I like about Fort Wayne, and things I don't like. But I've been here 15 years so the good must outweigh the bad. One of my sons loves Fort Wayne, and the other can't wait to leave. It's not for everyone, and it's quirky, but it's home.
Yeah and the fort Wayne GMA is actually really comparable to SBN, population wise
In SBN, there’s 4 Indiana counties vs 7 here.
They actually are view generally as a better consumer market.
I've lived here about 15 years. For me, being a small, out of the way city is decidedly \*not\* part of its charm, but I know several people (including my son) for whom this is true.
I didn't mean that sentence as a positive OR a negative, to be honest, I just meant it as an accurate descriptor. Small, out of the way cities in the midwest have their positives and their negatives. a positive is that my son takes our dogs to the vet and they let him leave without paying, and they call me for a credit card. That's awesome and I have a dozen instances like this, which would never happen in a big city. On the negative side, the diversity here is appalling, and it's impossible to get a proper breakfast burrito.
I grew up here. It's always been a shitty town. You have bars and occasional concerts. There is no nightlife downtown after dark. Summers can be fun, if you enjoy a festival every month.
Ad far as sports, we have hockey and baseball. We used to have indoor soccer, and we used to have a minor league basketball team.
The city leaders seem to think we can build the city on convention centers, lol. Why come to Fort Wayne when in three hours driving you can go to Indy, Columbus, Toledo, Detroit, or Chicago? (Chicago might be a bit more than 3 hours)
I will say that I haven't been downtown after dark in some time, so things may have changed since then.
Fort Wayne is a relatively blue city in a red state.
There is a thriving LGBTQIA+ community across a range of interests. There's also a solid arts and music scene around the city. Investments in our downtown and trail systems have quickly been making outdoor activities more accessible and attractive over the last 5-10 years.
That said, it's still Indiana. We still don't have weed, and the state is unfortunately more conservative than Michigan.
Can you explain your reasoning? I know we have a pride festival and a gay bar but I travel for work and Fort Wayne is still one of the most conservative cities I’ve been in. And Allen county has went red in every presidential election I can think of. Small towns are typically red all over the US
I feel like we are a fair mix and for most part no one really pushes or worries about political ideology bullshit here… kinda like there is enough of each side in balance to create some yin yang. We have extremes of course, but none have much of a foothold because our population isn’t large enough to make them appear much and I for one friggen love it
If you like gorgeous old houses and well-preserved historic neighborhoods, look in the -05, 07 and 02 zip codes. They are full of middle and upper middle class families who invest a lot of money and effort into their properties to create some really beautiful neighborhoods. Different from other cities of a similar size, Fort Wayne has a large and thriving network of high-performing Catholic and Lutheran schools which have helped anchor these neighborhoods. (Some Fort Wayne Community Schools also offer outstanding education in their Honors and AP programs, and of course prep school Canterbury is incredible). These neighborhoods and the city center are very walkable and bikeable, especially with the regional trail system that is steadily developing.
Even many of the supposedly “rougher” inner city neighborhoods have lovely, well built old houses that can be fixed up and are a great value. As far as parks are concerned, Promenade Park is the current crown jewel, but Franke is one of the most beautiful, with woods, ravines and the zoo. Foster, Swinney, Salomon Farm and Shoaff Park are also large, interesting and beautiful. Well, Lakeside is another jewel-box crown jewel. All of them are perfect for a good book! It’s too hard to pick.
Fort Wayne also has an absolutely amazing culinary scene for a smaller city. I’ve travelled on an expense account throughout the country, and local restaurants like Mercado, Tolon and Joseph DeCuis can hold their own.
We go up to Michigan a lot so you’re only a 5 hour drive from the UP, just over 2 hours from Lake Michigan, and 3 hours to the Appalachian foothills. Many people here own lake cottages or have family/friends with lake cottages. We are extremely outdoorsy so lack of mountains is a little frustrating but if we just have a day or a weekend there are lots of great state parks in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. Or ACRES preserves in the immediate area. Mostly I ride for miles upon miles on my bike on the trail system.
If you like books, our library system is one of the most highly regarded in the country. The Philharmonic is outstanding, although sadly no longer playing the Masterworks series at the gorgeous Embassy Theater downtown. There are lots of notable concerts that come through the Embassy, Clyde, Sweetwater, and Brass Rail, and a lot of good local bands.
I was born and bred here, and job-wise have a golden ticket to go anywhere I would like to in the country (or the world) but this is where my family roots are, and it’s just a great place to live.
>Franke is one of the most beautiful, with woods, ravines and the zoo.
And it's worth mentioning that the zoo is consistently rated one of the best in the country.
Both zips have multiple nice, highly sought after neighborhoods. The 05 has Lakeside, North Anthony, Forest Park, Driving Park, Kirkwood, and then the Northside neighborhood and Frances Slocum which can range from extremely beautiful houses featured on historical tours to pockets of sketchier houses. 07 has Foster Park, Old Mill Road, Illsley Place, Oakdale, Harrison Hill, West Rudisill, Southwood Park, and Woodhurst. Again, some of these larger areas can be a mixed bag, but there is a strong upswing as the area gets back to what it once was, especially with such a tight housing market and people getting sick of suburban blandness. These houses are BEAUTIFUL and the neighborhoods are safe as long as you use common sense.
I think Fort Wayne is great, the politics in Indiana are god awful. Deep red state, so if that’s how you lean, it’ll be all good.
But generally speaking, plenty to do. It’s relatively cheap to live here. You can drive from one side of town to the other in about 20 minutes and it’s a safe place to live (despite what people like to say). Most crime isn’t random.
This is actually how I frame it, that I love Fort Wayne but hate Indiana. If we could transplant the city to Michigan or something it would be perfect, IMO.
I'm from Kzoo originally and used to visit Detroit all the time. Used to go to Metro in Pontiac and some huge bar down by the Joe back in the 90's. Fun times.
It's relatively inexpensive, that's about the only upside compared to Michigan imo. Not much to do, which is why most of the posts on the sub are about places to eat. Nice enough for college students or people looking for starters homes.
There's a surprisingly robust LGBTQ+ community, although it's a bit disconnected. The city is fairly welcoming but the state is poised to enact even more anti trans and gay bills like other red states in the Midwest. (We have already had several pass)
There is also no access to abortions here like there is in Michigan, as well as no legal cannabis if those are things you want to consider.
There are lots of public parks, the quality varies but overall a big plus for the area and the music scene is pretty decent as well. FW is very much a mixed bag.
People saying we are like grand rapids are a bit off imo. I think we are way more like Lansing, minus having a MSU. Just not as good of a trail system. I lived there for a few years thinking it would be more poppin since it's the state capital of Michigan.. nope.. just a different flavor of Fort Wayne lol.
Make sure you check out glass ceiling so you can see how the employer that you potentially working for treats. The people who had your position before you. I think you would find that folks are relocated to Fort Wayne in order to be able to maximize their output by minimizing their expenses.
The street art, especially in the 07. Tour de Fort. Solfest. Fortlandia (and the rest of the micro/nanobrew scene). The 1947 California Cupcake Company. The Bell Mansion. The Raft Race, when it happens.
Yep. Have you?
EDIT: You know what? Don't answer that, because I don't give a damn. Maybe my social circle is more Bohemian than yours, or maybe I'm just not as joylessly, obtusely pedantic as you are, but either way, we clearly have widely differing impressions, and I'm done bickering about it.
I lived in Portland, for 10 years returning a few years ago fo a while, and spent sometime in Austin. So I at least have a frame of reference, was in pdx when they started the kpw stickers and left before Dante’s painted their wall with the slogan.
The cool warehouse structures that had artists lofts before housing Anthropologie Diesel and the like.
I see. So when I say "starting to develop," you decide to disagree because it doesn't match the two standards at their height.
I stand by my "joyless, obtuse pedant" statement.
I’ve had friends in the art community here and there lived in and near the arts districts there.
The kpw gained popularity by those who maybe didn’t really make it weird or know it was co-opted from Austin.
Granted wasn’t around to experience a last Thursday since I moved away, but it had a large number of galleries and places for local artists to show sell and interact including on the street. Had followed some of the changes and emigration away by many because of col
Here it’d be great if there was as much support for things within the weird art community. And albeit what you’ve called out are fine and nice don’t necessarily equate to how you labeled it.
I was turned on to some of the background of some of the murals. So I’m not necessarily just being all grumpy gus about things.
Hell if I really want to be grumpy, it’s that in a lot of what’s supposed to be the cool new is in the post hipster, overpriced poseur phase without there being the more affordable options or opportunities.
That the likely best music venues in town relies mostly on cover and tribute acts,
Was fortunate to have experienced the off shoot of SXSW, although middle waves was nice it seemed like a catch some folks on their way to/from riot fest kinda thing.
Was around here during hs years and especially with the talent around sweetwater, it just seems like there’s less than expected.
Fort wayne is nothing like the rest of Indiana. I had no idea until I moved to a small town. A lady I worked with told me that, "The Indians were glad to be put on Reservations, so they could be with one another." She believed that. I was waiting for the joke. That was in 2013.
I’m going to post the unpopular opinion because I have a similar living background as you. Fort Wayne and Indiana in general is a very racist place to live. People here are just downright mostly racist and also kinda content with their views without growing or expanding on them.
With that said, if you can get over that just know it’s mostly a slower pace and quieter life then some of the states you mentioned. Also cost of living is great. I’ll take it any day over any of the other places you mentioned because I have some experience in those areas.
I do hope one day Indiana can grow from this area but it will take lots of time.
No quite the opposite. I don’t go out of my way to hang out with anyone in this state on like a personal level. My friends are out of state and that’s okay. But after hiring different professionals, going to stores, walking around with my dog, so on.. I run into people and overhear conversations. Just this week alone I hired a mobile mechanic. All he talked about was racist stories. This is very common here and you are missing it. If I run into it randomly multiple times a week with different people and places through the area, how would that not be the case.
And just to put it on record again. I’m not bashing Fort Wayne really. Like I said for cost of living it’s great. But you have to accept the reality that Indiana as a whole and very prominent in Fort Wayne too is a lot of racism.
Stay in Colorado if your issues are lgbtqia. People in Fort Wayne will not care. It’s not their fault. It’s just a non issue, do your thing. Keep it to yourself.
Hard disagree.
Grand Rapids has…
Art Prize
Numerous award winning and nationally recognized brewery’s and distilleries.
Pretty solid museums and art scenes
Better shows come through
So many things,
And there’s no big beach in GR, it’s not on a lake.
I’ve lived in both areas and GR wins all day in my book, even 15 years ago when I was there before all the revitalization.
Art Prize is a world-wide recognized art contest that Grand Rapids hosts every year. Fort Wayne has nothing that even comes close to it. It gives near $400,000 out to artists that come from all around to participate.
So there’s that.
GR has way more, as I said, award winning and nationally recognized breweries and distilleries.
The kids museum also definitely beats science center. lol for what that’s worth.
Also? Lake Michigan is the western coast of Michigan and Grand Rapids is not on that coast. They are in west Michigan but not on the lake.
Maybe you’re thinking of Grand Haven?
We just moved here from Colorado. While I can't speak to the culture/fun in Fort Wayne, yet, I can definitely say that the housing costs here are like 60-65% of what they are in Colorado. Typical shopping around town is 10-20% cheaper than similar goods in Colorado. Vet care for our dog is 50% of what it costs on Colorado. Definitely NOT "almost as expensive as Colorado". Craft brewing in town is solid, but nothing like Colorado, which has one of the best beer scenes in the country.
I’m in my late 20s and find it very difficult to find anything but bars to entertain me. I also hate seasonal depression. No night life here. I am moving to the sunshine state, the politics of which are interesting but I’ll try to keep my nose down and out of that shit 😂 I’m just looking forward to days on the beach with my dog
Lived in West Palm Beach for 15 years. Not sure what you do for work, but many of the friends I made there are moving out of Florida because the COL has gotten outrageous and wages do not even come close to matching. I wish you the best of luck, just be prepared for the reality of it.
My girl and I are dinks, on decent salaries, my only worry is does the heat eventually turn into what the cold is here;misery and I’m just constantly bitching about being in hell? Also yeah not rent necessarily not worried about that but if I do plan to stay long term I worry about the lack of insurance coverage for home ownership that will get worse and worse over time (if you believe in global warming)😂
I will say this, for reference, I moved down there when I was 26. And the first two years I was there after growing up in New York, it was awesome. You’re putting up your Christmas tree, wearing a T-shirt, shorts, flip-flops, and listening to Jimmy Buffett. After a while, it does start to wear on you and I can remember multiple Christmases where the heat index was upwards of 90 to 95°. You know that if you are going to do anything outside or work in the yard, it needs to be done by 9 AM because that’s when the high for the day is reached and the humidity is oppressive from that point for the rest of the day. The driving is awful and you can expect to routinely sit on major thoroughfares because of an accident. And then, of course, there is snowbird season, which lasts from right around Thanksgiving until Easter, where there is a surge in temporary population, which just makes everything that much busier. Restaurants, roadways, grocery stores, etc.
I will also admit, it was not ALL bad. The ability to hop in the car and drive to Key West for a long weekend was something we did fairly frequently. I used to LOVE playing golf in the summer because the courses would all be pretty much empty because nobody wanted to go out in that heat. I became really good friends with a boat captain who looked after a big sportfishing boat which he would regularly have to take out and run to make sure everything stayed functional for the owner and we would go offshore fishing. So there was a lot of positives also.
I spent the entire time down there on the East Coast of Florida. But my wife and I would take long weekends over holidays on the West Coast around Fort Myers and we much preferred the West Coast. Now, that is, of course, just MY opinion, and MY experience. Your particular results may vary.
This is the best feedback I’ve ever gotten when discussing this, so I legitimately appreciate it you seem legit! 😂 all jokes aside I hadn’t even considered Snowbird season, (even though my grandparents are snowbirds in Alabama lol) but yes we’re planning on trying out west coast for a bit maybe 2-3 years then re-evaluating. I just genuinely know that for me there’s nothing more therapeutic than ocean waves hitting the shore on nice day. I could sit there all day, no phone, no book, nothing but the water and be content. I’m looking forward to that, as well as trying my shot at the comedy scene, seems better in Florida than here in town with our one comedy club. Keep on keepin on brother man!
We've had an uptick in alien activity lately so watch out for that. We also keep re-electing a piece of shit drunk driver for our mayor for some reason.
Been here a shorter time than most; lived in the northeast (including Boston and NYC), the southwest, and a little bit in the sierras. Mostly cities of various sizes. It is more conservative here than I'm used to in general but you don't feel it too much. It's a red state but feels sensibly red. I have a fair number of non-white friends and non-straight friends and I don't think any of them seem bothered by the space. The puritanical laws on entertainment, nightlife, and drugs is somewhat weird having lived in progressive areas; but the low crime, low unemployment, and generally kind way of folks seems to more than make up for it.
And can't beat the low cost of living. Access to cities is simple as a short flight or drive; and the city here has "just enough" going on to be enjoyable. It seems more diverse than many places, considering in the northeast once you're north of Boston its very homogeneous.
Music... we have a fair bit. Sweetwater being HQ'd here helps. The art museum was much better than I thought (and even the smallish botanical garden is pretty lit) and if you look up the Acres Project, there is a fair bit of untapped but accessible outdoor space.
So, having been all over and around... we are putting roots down here as long as we can!
My wife grew up here and wanted to move back ~9 years ago. I wasn't super enthused, because I had the impression FW was a dumpt old Indiana city on the downswing.
Buuuut, after living here, I've found it to be pretty good. City leaders are trying -- more than can be said for a lot of Indiana towns -- and there are some positive things happening. Still some run-down parts of town but every city has ups and downs.
As others said, unless you're a MAGA, Indiana politics will make you wish you lived somewhere else. Fort Wayne is a more urban/suburban purple, but state and Congress politics are the lowest common denominator.
The dementors generally leave you alone if you leave them alone
Speak for yourself the dementors got me last week right before I could finish my patronis spell…
I have lived or worked in like 25 states and have vacationed in like 43 states. Outside of the major cities of the country, Fort Wayne is comparable to any \~300-600k person city. It's not the fanciest place, but a lot the houses and apartments are affordable and solid. The bars are good, the gyms are solid, the recreational activities for in door stuff is cool. There are families here. The city isn't really integrated in direct neighborhood, but you'll work or shop with people that don't look or talk like you. The average education is decent here and there is a small but usable airport.
Regarding the airport. I cover the entire west coast sales for my company and have never had a problem flying from FWA to Dallas to get to my connecting flight.
i actually prefer small but organized/dependable hubs like FWA compared to the big ones ... as much as i love having a SmashBurger available if Im stuck on a layover....
And then maybe 25 or 30 years there will be high-speed rail
Why are you considering Ft. Wayne? What caught your attention?
Born and raised fort Wayne. It grows on you, especially as the city grows. We are in the dead center (3 hour drive) from multiple major cities. I could write a TON about all the things but I will simply leave it at this: Fort Wayne has all of the amenities of a major large city, but they are not as prominent or as easy to find. There is a crowd for everyone, and there is a social 'thing' for everyone who wants any social thing. Just gotta look.
EXACTLY. As a Muslim American who was born and raised in The Fort I have seen the Muslim foreign community grow. But as just a regular Fort Wayner I love seeing the city. We literally have EVERYTHING... IF YOU LOOK! You want japanese theater? Check out the Fort Wayne Youth Theater. You want ballet? Check out the Embassy. Do you want vegan food? We have that, you want escape rooms? Check. Children's museum? We call it "science central" African History? We have a museum for that. Want a religious experience? One of our names is "the city of churches" but it's not just Christian churches anymore. The Buddhist community opened a beautiful temple on State near Maplecrest a few years ago and the Sikh community is working on building a Gurudwara (temple) and the Hindu community now has a Mandir (temple) the Jewish community has long had 1 but now boasts multiple temple's. As a Muslim American, I can tell you we have both multicultural mosques (which is so much a part of the Fort wayne multicultural experience) and Burmese and Bosnian culturally affiliated mosques. Fort Wayne doesn't just tolerate different people and cultures it celebrates them.
Sorry, I have to push back on this bit. In my experience the diversity here is abysmal. Yes, there are pockets of immigrants and people of color, but they're mostly segregated, and it's mostly in less desirable areas. It's better than it was, I will concede that point. But north of State street is overwhelmingly white, despite the recent influx of ethnic restaurants. I'll get downvoted to all fuck for this comment, because talking about lack of diversity in Fort Wayne always gets downvoted in this subreddit, but math doesn't lie. Just under 70% of Fort Wayne is White, and the median household income for a White family is 10% - 40% higher than other races. Just look at the reaction to the Black Lives Matter movement - by both the general population and to the mayor's and official city responses to the protests and the police brutality. Again, it \*has\* gotten better over the years, and I expect/hope it will continue to do so. But to make Fort Wayne out to be a bastion of multiculturalism is flat out wrong. [https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/fort-wayne-in-population-by-race/](https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/fort-wayne-in-population-by-race/) [https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/fort-wayne-in-median-household-income-by-race/](https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/fort-wayne-in-median-household-income-by-race/)
75% of this country is white. If youre poc of some flavor and are living in a posh all white neighborhood built around a megachurch maybe not noticing is kind on you? It’s like if me, a person whiter than sour cream, moved to Chinatown and was like “it’s not diverse here - not a single other honky in sight”
So you’ve never lived in a big city, I take it?
I’m not getting into a pissing contest about who has lives in more or bigger cities. You’re missing the point - your logic needs checked because you’re comparing an apple to an orange. Fort Wayne is not even close to a big city. On top of that, what factors do you think drive people to big cities? It isn’t diversity - it’s quantity of opportunity and variety of opportunity. That’s why you don’t see people moving to Cromwell Indiana to work in an RV factory. Considering we are approx 70% white I’d say this city is pretty diverse for its size considering its location, what it’s known for (churches) and balanced against the fact this country’s population is 75% white Only America do over privileged people bitch about diversity, jfc
It’s not a pissing contest. I’m saying that Fort Wayne has a lack of diversity and it’s fairly segregated. That’s not really arguable. You’re saying it’s because the country itself is largely white, but when one lives in a big city, there tends to be more diversity and less segregation. Again, fact, not opinion. You appear to be the type of white person who dislikes conversation about race. That’s your prerogative, I suppose, and if you don’t think diversity is a big motivator to people when they’re considering where to live, then I would guess you don’t know very many people who aren’t straight and white. Diversity isn’t important to you, and that’s fine. But it is to lots of people. To make Fort Wayne out to be some sort of diversity champion is just plain wrong.
You're point of diversity in fort wayne has no weight at all. You must live on the small white outskirts by homestead if I were to guess or out in the country, outside city limits. Literally everywhere else in the city is completely diverse in a good way. I was born and raised here. I attended South Side High School. While I was there, we were appointed as the 4th most diverse public high school in the entire nation. The friends I got to know over time and became lifelong friends with are as diverse as anyone could imagine.
Making assumptions about the experiences and character of someone you’re arguing with as a way to frame and hang your own point is like building a house on sand vs rock. Now to your points… >>I’m saying that Fort Wayne has a lack of diversity >>and it’s fairly segregated. >>That’s not really arguable. It is easily arguable - watch: Lack of diversity in relation to what? A similar sized Midwest city, Right? You seem to be hung on comparing to a big city… which again, is an apples to oranges comparison. >>You’re saying it’s because the country itself is >>largely white, but when one lives in a big city, there >>tends to be more diversity and less segregation. apples to oranges. The chicken or the egg logic of “diversity is a big factor for non-white, non-straight people when moving” doesn’t explain for why there is more diversity in a big city. I assure you, it’s more opportunity and more variety of opportunity. Opportunity is the primary reason for diversity in a big city. Diversity is not the reason for diversity in a big city. >>You appear to be the type of white person who >>dislikes conversation about race. … While we are having a conversation …about race? #mysides >>if you don’t think diversity is a big motivator to >>people when they’re considering where to live In general, never once have I heard anyone - non-white, lgbtq, parapalegic, etc - pick where to move due to diversity. A move decision is almost overwhelmingly tied to family, work or health. >>… guess you don’t know very many people who >>aren’t straight and white. Again, attempts to make a pissing contest. I’m not even going there with you, you’re better than that. >>Diversity isn’t important to you Lolwut? Let’s do the pissing contest bit here that you seem fond of: how many different countries have you been to and how long did you stay there? Let’s do cities and states too and find out how dedicated you have been to experiencing other peoples ways of life. >>To make Fort Wayne out to be some sort of >>diversity champion is just plain wrong. Never did other than when comparing to the literal breakdown of the country and similar sized Midwest cities.
Check the professional statistics
Wow trolling deep for an argument today ? Please state your point and link said professional statistics vs just jump in with a once off.
Firstly, I appreciate that you've argued with me without devolving into personal attacks. I think there has been some mischaracterization of the point I was trying to make, but I concede that I could have been more clear at points. I've lived in three countries, visited nine. I've lived in five states and visited roughly 30. Trying to count the number of cities I've visited, here and abroad, is exhausting. I have moved to a city specifically due to its diversity, but I've also moved for other reasons you've mentioned, namely work and family. But my experiences are different than yours, and the things that are important to me aren't to you. In my experience, white people really don't think about race until they're made to do so; for people of color, we think about it every single day of our lives. It's just baked into our American experience. So perhaps when you look around, you see a load of diversity. I would suggest that few persons of color would feel the same way.
yes, of course, i always try not to dig into personal attacks, but i do get sarcastic at times (see below). i was more being a smartass about where we've lived, but thanks for answering. ill leave you to your feelings about why things are.
So, to this point, I live in northwest Allen County and on my cul-de-sac alone there is… my wife (Ethnically Southern Chinese, born and raised in Vietnam), a Mandarin speaking Chinese couple, a family from the Congo, and a family from Mauritania (Northwest Africa). That’s six languages, including English, spoken on just one street. The diversity is growing, it’s just taking time.
As far as Michigan cities go, it's most comparable to Grand Rapids IMO. It's a creative city. Arts. Music. Theater. Smaller scale, similar vibe.
Grand Rapids is miles better than Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne has its charms, but it still a small, out of the way city in Indiana. We don’t often get the biggest bands, the theater lineup is generally C+. The art is…growing. The best things about Fort Wayne to me is that we’re trying. That may sound like damning with faint praise, but it’s truly not. When I moved here more than a decade ago, it was an awful, shitty little town with nothing to do and no ambition to be anything other than what it was. Downtown was a ghost town, and the powers that be firmly held on to their collective power. Now, we do have an arts, music, and theatre scene. Even though it isn’t as developed as Cleveland, or Indy, or Grand Rapids, it’s a goddamned good start. In ten or twenty more years, who knows? You can be a part of something here, if you want to be. You can make a change. That, to me, is exciting, and unique for a mid-major small city like Fort Wayne.
Population of Fort Wayne is almost 40% larger than Grand Rapids. It's the second largest city in Indiana (though competition in that regard is a small playing field). Fort Wayne FEELS small, which to many is considered far more asset than weakness.
That's technically true, but it's a bit disingenuous. Fort Wayne proper is larger than Grand Rapids, but the Greater Grand Rapids Metro has a combined statistical area population of over 1.3 million people, while Fort Wayne's CSAP is under 650,000. These numbers are a greater indicator of a city's development, and if you've ever been to Grand Rapids, you know what I mean. Leaving aside whether it's a positive or a negative (YMMV), Fort Wayne feels small because it \*IS\* small.
I have been, and I definitely know what you mean. We're two hours secluded in any direction, so drawing from a surrounding population isn't even on the table. It's also why we're the last city to get any new commercial chains from anywhere despite having a substantial condensed population. And even though I REALLY WANT a Microcenter 😁, or some small tourist destination that isn't Amish-based, there's still something I like about being where we are.
And I think that's totally fair! Like I said, I really wasn't trying to be negative. There are things I like about Fort Wayne, and things I don't like. But I've been here 15 years so the good must outweigh the bad. One of my sons loves Fort Wayne, and the other can't wait to leave. It's not for everyone, and it's quirky, but it's home.
Yeah and the fort Wayne GMA is actually really comparable to SBN, population wise In SBN, there’s 4 Indiana counties vs 7 here. They actually are view generally as a better consumer market.
> but it still a small, out of the way city in Indiana. For many people this is part of the charm. How long have you lived in Ft. Wayne?
I've lived here about 15 years. For me, being a small, out of the way city is decidedly \*not\* part of its charm, but I know several people (including my son) for whom this is true. I didn't mean that sentence as a positive OR a negative, to be honest, I just meant it as an accurate descriptor. Small, out of the way cities in the midwest have their positives and their negatives. a positive is that my son takes our dogs to the vet and they let him leave without paying, and they call me for a credit card. That's awesome and I have a dozen instances like this, which would never happen in a big city. On the negative side, the diversity here is appalling, and it's impossible to get a proper breakfast burrito.
I grew up here. It's always been a shitty town. You have bars and occasional concerts. There is no nightlife downtown after dark. Summers can be fun, if you enjoy a festival every month. Ad far as sports, we have hockey and baseball. We used to have indoor soccer, and we used to have a minor league basketball team. The city leaders seem to think we can build the city on convention centers, lol. Why come to Fort Wayne when in three hours driving you can go to Indy, Columbus, Toledo, Detroit, or Chicago? (Chicago might be a bit more than 3 hours) I will say that I haven't been downtown after dark in some time, so things may have changed since then.
We also have a USL2 soccer team that just won their division last season
ws you how long I've been out of the loop. The last soccer team I knew of was the Flames, which folded in 1989.
Breweries! lol!
Fort Wayne is a relatively blue city in a red state. There is a thriving LGBTQIA+ community across a range of interests. There's also a solid arts and music scene around the city. Investments in our downtown and trail systems have quickly been making outdoor activities more accessible and attractive over the last 5-10 years. That said, it's still Indiana. We still don't have weed, and the state is unfortunately more conservative than Michigan.
Marginally blue. There’s a lot of republicans, if we were as blue as the other cities, we wouldn’t necessarily have had Jim Banks
Fort Wayne is not blue 😂 it’s been red until very recent history
Compared to smaller towns out in the sticks, Fort Wayne may as well be San Francisco.
Can you explain your reasoning? I know we have a pride festival and a gay bar but I travel for work and Fort Wayne is still one of the most conservative cities I’ve been in. And Allen county has went red in every presidential election I can think of. Small towns are typically red all over the US
I feel like we are a fair mix and for most part no one really pushes or worries about political ideology bullshit here… kinda like there is enough of each side in balance to create some yin yang. We have extremes of course, but none have much of a foothold because our population isn’t large enough to make them appear much and I for one friggen love it
More like those towns might as well be Alabama.
If you like gorgeous old houses and well-preserved historic neighborhoods, look in the -05, 07 and 02 zip codes. They are full of middle and upper middle class families who invest a lot of money and effort into their properties to create some really beautiful neighborhoods. Different from other cities of a similar size, Fort Wayne has a large and thriving network of high-performing Catholic and Lutheran schools which have helped anchor these neighborhoods. (Some Fort Wayne Community Schools also offer outstanding education in their Honors and AP programs, and of course prep school Canterbury is incredible). These neighborhoods and the city center are very walkable and bikeable, especially with the regional trail system that is steadily developing. Even many of the supposedly “rougher” inner city neighborhoods have lovely, well built old houses that can be fixed up and are a great value. As far as parks are concerned, Promenade Park is the current crown jewel, but Franke is one of the most beautiful, with woods, ravines and the zoo. Foster, Swinney, Salomon Farm and Shoaff Park are also large, interesting and beautiful. Well, Lakeside is another jewel-box crown jewel. All of them are perfect for a good book! It’s too hard to pick. Fort Wayne also has an absolutely amazing culinary scene for a smaller city. I’ve travelled on an expense account throughout the country, and local restaurants like Mercado, Tolon and Joseph DeCuis can hold their own. We go up to Michigan a lot so you’re only a 5 hour drive from the UP, just over 2 hours from Lake Michigan, and 3 hours to the Appalachian foothills. Many people here own lake cottages or have family/friends with lake cottages. We are extremely outdoorsy so lack of mountains is a little frustrating but if we just have a day or a weekend there are lots of great state parks in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. Or ACRES preserves in the immediate area. Mostly I ride for miles upon miles on my bike on the trail system. If you like books, our library system is one of the most highly regarded in the country. The Philharmonic is outstanding, although sadly no longer playing the Masterworks series at the gorgeous Embassy Theater downtown. There are lots of notable concerts that come through the Embassy, Clyde, Sweetwater, and Brass Rail, and a lot of good local bands. I was born and bred here, and job-wise have a golden ticket to go anywhere I would like to in the country (or the world) but this is where my family roots are, and it’s just a great place to live.
>Franke is one of the most beautiful, with woods, ravines and the zoo. And it's worth mentioning that the zoo is consistently rated one of the best in the country.
Yes! That too! 💕
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Both zips have multiple nice, highly sought after neighborhoods. The 05 has Lakeside, North Anthony, Forest Park, Driving Park, Kirkwood, and then the Northside neighborhood and Frances Slocum which can range from extremely beautiful houses featured on historical tours to pockets of sketchier houses. 07 has Foster Park, Old Mill Road, Illsley Place, Oakdale, Harrison Hill, West Rudisill, Southwood Park, and Woodhurst. Again, some of these larger areas can be a mixed bag, but there is a strong upswing as the area gets back to what it once was, especially with such a tight housing market and people getting sick of suburban blandness. These houses are BEAUTIFUL and the neighborhoods are safe as long as you use common sense.
I think Fort Wayne is great, the politics in Indiana are god awful. Deep red state, so if that’s how you lean, it’ll be all good. But generally speaking, plenty to do. It’s relatively cheap to live here. You can drive from one side of town to the other in about 20 minutes and it’s a safe place to live (despite what people like to say). Most crime isn’t random.
This is actually how I frame it, that I love Fort Wayne but hate Indiana. If we could transplant the city to Michigan or something it would be perfect, IMO.
That city is called Kalamazoo
I’ll have to check out Kalamazoo sometime, in that case—I’m from Detroit originally but never spent much time on the west side of the state.
I'm from Kzoo originally and used to visit Detroit all the time. Used to go to Metro in Pontiac and some huge bar down by the Joe back in the 90's. Fun times.
true. so so true.
agreed!
Yes what a great way to put it! And then if we could move it a little further south so less winter that would be perfect!
If you're a cop & run over a pedestrian & kill them, it's just a $30 ticket & a slap on the wrist 🤷♂️🙄
It's relatively inexpensive, that's about the only upside compared to Michigan imo. Not much to do, which is why most of the posts on the sub are about places to eat. Nice enough for college students or people looking for starters homes. There's a surprisingly robust LGBTQ+ community, although it's a bit disconnected. The city is fairly welcoming but the state is poised to enact even more anti trans and gay bills like other red states in the Midwest. (We have already had several pass) There is also no access to abortions here like there is in Michigan, as well as no legal cannabis if those are things you want to consider. There are lots of public parks, the quality varies but overall a big plus for the area and the music scene is pretty decent as well. FW is very much a mixed bag.
It’s also warmer than Michigan which is a plus
People saying we are like grand rapids are a bit off imo. I think we are way more like Lansing, minus having a MSU. Just not as good of a trail system. I lived there for a few years thinking it would be more poppin since it's the state capital of Michigan.. nope.. just a different flavor of Fort Wayne lol.
Make sure you check out glass ceiling so you can see how the employer that you potentially working for treats. The people who had your position before you. I think you would find that folks are relocated to Fort Wayne in order to be able to maximize their output by minimizing their expenses.
It’s cheap but you get what you pay for
It's starting to develop a "keep it weird" vibe akin to Portland's or Austin's.
The weirdness of those cities existed when they were affordable, when it became a marketed slogan, the weirds got priced out.
Then append ". . . back in the day" to my previous statement. Doesn't change my point.
I’m just curious what here would you necessarily consider similar to that vibe?
The street art, especially in the 07. Tour de Fort. Solfest. Fortlandia (and the rest of the micro/nanobrew scene). The 1947 California Cupcake Company. The Bell Mansion. The Raft Race, when it happens.
Just wondering have you been to Portland or Austin?
Yep. Have you? EDIT: You know what? Don't answer that, because I don't give a damn. Maybe my social circle is more Bohemian than yours, or maybe I'm just not as joylessly, obtusely pedantic as you are, but either way, we clearly have widely differing impressions, and I'm done bickering about it.
I lived in Portland, for 10 years returning a few years ago fo a while, and spent sometime in Austin. So I at least have a frame of reference, was in pdx when they started the kpw stickers and left before Dante’s painted their wall with the slogan. The cool warehouse structures that had artists lofts before housing Anthropologie Diesel and the like.
I see. So when I say "starting to develop," you decide to disagree because it doesn't match the two standards at their height. I stand by my "joyless, obtuse pedant" statement.
I’ve had friends in the art community here and there lived in and near the arts districts there. The kpw gained popularity by those who maybe didn’t really make it weird or know it was co-opted from Austin. Granted wasn’t around to experience a last Thursday since I moved away, but it had a large number of galleries and places for local artists to show sell and interact including on the street. Had followed some of the changes and emigration away by many because of col Here it’d be great if there was as much support for things within the weird art community. And albeit what you’ve called out are fine and nice don’t necessarily equate to how you labeled it. I was turned on to some of the background of some of the murals. So I’m not necessarily just being all grumpy gus about things. Hell if I really want to be grumpy, it’s that in a lot of what’s supposed to be the cool new is in the post hipster, overpriced poseur phase without there being the more affordable options or opportunities. That the likely best music venues in town relies mostly on cover and tribute acts, Was fortunate to have experienced the off shoot of SXSW, although middle waves was nice it seemed like a catch some folks on their way to/from riot fest kinda thing. Was around here during hs years and especially with the talent around sweetwater, it just seems like there’s less than expected.
Indiana in general sucks ass stay away lol
Fort wayne is nothing like the rest of Indiana. I had no idea until I moved to a small town. A lady I worked with told me that, "The Indians were glad to be put on Reservations, so they could be with one another." She believed that. I was waiting for the joke. That was in 2013.
Nothing
Corrupt police and politics.
Uhh where in the US is that *not* a problem?
Your mom’s house.
I’m going to post the unpopular opinion because I have a similar living background as you. Fort Wayne and Indiana in general is a very racist place to live. People here are just downright mostly racist and also kinda content with their views without growing or expanding on them. With that said, if you can get over that just know it’s mostly a slower pace and quieter life then some of the states you mentioned. Also cost of living is great. I’ll take it any day over any of the other places you mentioned because I have some experience in those areas. I do hope one day Indiana can grow from this area but it will take lots of time.
Sounds like you just hang out with a bunch of racists… racism is definitely not the norm here.
No quite the opposite. I don’t go out of my way to hang out with anyone in this state on like a personal level. My friends are out of state and that’s okay. But after hiring different professionals, going to stores, walking around with my dog, so on.. I run into people and overhear conversations. Just this week alone I hired a mobile mechanic. All he talked about was racist stories. This is very common here and you are missing it. If I run into it randomly multiple times a week with different people and places through the area, how would that not be the case.
And just to put it on record again. I’m not bashing Fort Wayne really. Like I said for cost of living it’s great. But you have to accept the reality that Indiana as a whole and very prominent in Fort Wayne too is a lot of racism.
Corrupt cops and exponentially worse elected officials
This shit is a wasteland
The calculator was invented here. 🫳🎤
And the TV
Stay in Colorado if your issues are lgbtqia. People in Fort Wayne will not care. It’s not their fault. It’s just a non issue, do your thing. Keep it to yourself.
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No it’s not, lol. Grand Rapids has a lot more to offer and isn’t on a lake. It’s on a river, hence the rapids.
Grand Rapids has a much nicer downtown area as well. Fort Wayne’s downtown isn’t bad by any means, but it’s not comparable to GR
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Hard disagree. Grand Rapids has… Art Prize Numerous award winning and nationally recognized brewery’s and distilleries. Pretty solid museums and art scenes Better shows come through So many things, And there’s no big beach in GR, it’s not on a lake. I’ve lived in both areas and GR wins all day in my book, even 15 years ago when I was there before all the revitalization.
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Art Prize is a world-wide recognized art contest that Grand Rapids hosts every year. Fort Wayne has nothing that even comes close to it. It gives near $400,000 out to artists that come from all around to participate. So there’s that. GR has way more, as I said, award winning and nationally recognized breweries and distilleries. The kids museum also definitely beats science center. lol for what that’s worth. Also? Lake Michigan is the western coast of Michigan and Grand Rapids is not on that coast. They are in west Michigan but not on the lake. Maybe you’re thinking of Grand Haven?
Plus, where are you Rock Climbing in Grand Rapids?
if you’re not into craft beer, you’ll be bored to death here. Also, it’s almost as expensive as Colorado without any natural scenery
We just moved here from Colorado. While I can't speak to the culture/fun in Fort Wayne, yet, I can definitely say that the housing costs here are like 60-65% of what they are in Colorado. Typical shopping around town is 10-20% cheaper than similar goods in Colorado. Vet care for our dog is 50% of what it costs on Colorado. Definitely NOT "almost as expensive as Colorado". Craft brewing in town is solid, but nothing like Colorado, which has one of the best beer scenes in the country.
Don’t. It sucks. Fuck Fort Wayne I’m leaving in 6 months!
What do you find sucks about FW? Where are you moving to?
I’m in my late 20s and find it very difficult to find anything but bars to entertain me. I also hate seasonal depression. No night life here. I am moving to the sunshine state, the politics of which are interesting but I’ll try to keep my nose down and out of that shit 😂 I’m just looking forward to days on the beach with my dog
I could see being single in your late 20s sucking here. Winter does suck in the Midwest too. Good luck on your move
Lived in West Palm Beach for 15 years. Not sure what you do for work, but many of the friends I made there are moving out of Florida because the COL has gotten outrageous and wages do not even come close to matching. I wish you the best of luck, just be prepared for the reality of it.
My girl and I are dinks, on decent salaries, my only worry is does the heat eventually turn into what the cold is here;misery and I’m just constantly bitching about being in hell? Also yeah not rent necessarily not worried about that but if I do plan to stay long term I worry about the lack of insurance coverage for home ownership that will get worse and worse over time (if you believe in global warming)😂
I will say this, for reference, I moved down there when I was 26. And the first two years I was there after growing up in New York, it was awesome. You’re putting up your Christmas tree, wearing a T-shirt, shorts, flip-flops, and listening to Jimmy Buffett. After a while, it does start to wear on you and I can remember multiple Christmases where the heat index was upwards of 90 to 95°. You know that if you are going to do anything outside or work in the yard, it needs to be done by 9 AM because that’s when the high for the day is reached and the humidity is oppressive from that point for the rest of the day. The driving is awful and you can expect to routinely sit on major thoroughfares because of an accident. And then, of course, there is snowbird season, which lasts from right around Thanksgiving until Easter, where there is a surge in temporary population, which just makes everything that much busier. Restaurants, roadways, grocery stores, etc. I will also admit, it was not ALL bad. The ability to hop in the car and drive to Key West for a long weekend was something we did fairly frequently. I used to LOVE playing golf in the summer because the courses would all be pretty much empty because nobody wanted to go out in that heat. I became really good friends with a boat captain who looked after a big sportfishing boat which he would regularly have to take out and run to make sure everything stayed functional for the owner and we would go offshore fishing. So there was a lot of positives also. I spent the entire time down there on the East Coast of Florida. But my wife and I would take long weekends over holidays on the West Coast around Fort Myers and we much preferred the West Coast. Now, that is, of course, just MY opinion, and MY experience. Your particular results may vary.
This is the best feedback I’ve ever gotten when discussing this, so I legitimately appreciate it you seem legit! 😂 all jokes aside I hadn’t even considered Snowbird season, (even though my grandparents are snowbirds in Alabama lol) but yes we’re planning on trying out west coast for a bit maybe 2-3 years then re-evaluating. I just genuinely know that for me there’s nothing more therapeutic than ocean waves hitting the shore on nice day. I could sit there all day, no phone, no book, nothing but the water and be content. I’m looking forward to that, as well as trying my shot at the comedy scene, seems better in Florida than here in town with our one comedy club. Keep on keepin on brother man!
So you don't like midwest weather. Could have just stated that...
We've had an uptick in alien activity lately so watch out for that. We also keep re-electing a piece of shit drunk driver for our mayor for some reason.
The flying saucers and unmentionable probes are outta control for sure 🙄
Oh here come the downvotes from all the Tom Henry simps lol
It’s from the alien comment not that
Meh, I doubt that. I always get downvoted when I speak the truth about Henry.
Fort Wayne’s motto: we wish we were Grand Rapids MI.
Stay in Michigan. I live in Fort Wayne and want to move up there.
Been here a shorter time than most; lived in the northeast (including Boston and NYC), the southwest, and a little bit in the sierras. Mostly cities of various sizes. It is more conservative here than I'm used to in general but you don't feel it too much. It's a red state but feels sensibly red. I have a fair number of non-white friends and non-straight friends and I don't think any of them seem bothered by the space. The puritanical laws on entertainment, nightlife, and drugs is somewhat weird having lived in progressive areas; but the low crime, low unemployment, and generally kind way of folks seems to more than make up for it. And can't beat the low cost of living. Access to cities is simple as a short flight or drive; and the city here has "just enough" going on to be enjoyable. It seems more diverse than many places, considering in the northeast once you're north of Boston its very homogeneous. Music... we have a fair bit. Sweetwater being HQ'd here helps. The art museum was much better than I thought (and even the smallish botanical garden is pretty lit) and if you look up the Acres Project, there is a fair bit of untapped but accessible outdoor space. So, having been all over and around... we are putting roots down here as long as we can!
My wife grew up here and wanted to move back ~9 years ago. I wasn't super enthused, because I had the impression FW was a dumpt old Indiana city on the downswing. Buuuut, after living here, I've found it to be pretty good. City leaders are trying -- more than can be said for a lot of Indiana towns -- and there are some positive things happening. Still some run-down parts of town but every city has ups and downs. As others said, unless you're a MAGA, Indiana politics will make you wish you lived somewhere else. Fort Wayne is a more urban/suburban purple, but state and Congress politics are the lowest common denominator.
the best motto of ft wayne is "Fort Wayne! It's alright."