A Gen Zer who moved to Indianapolis, where she pays less than $1,700 in rent, shares the pros of living in 'a big city with small-town charm.'

Milan Ball shared what she likes about living in Indianapolis after moving there in 2022. Courtesy of Milan Ball

• Milan Ball moved to Indianapolis, which she finds has a small-town charm despite its large population.
• The professional opportunities were one factor that drew her to this Midwest city.
• Ball is paying less than $1,700 in rent for the one-bedroom place she shares with her dog.

Milan Ball, 27, has no regrets about moving to Indianapolis in the summer of 2022. Growing up largely in Virginia, she's already experienced life in the South. She also resided in New York City, and she has studied abroad and worked in Italy.

Now working and living in Indianapolis, Ball doesn't see herself leaving this Midwest city soon. With a population of over 800,000, Ball finds Indianapolis is "a big city with small-town charm." She added, "There's this really wonderful community aspect to it."

Ball argued that other members of her generation should consider getting out of the coastal grind, noting, "Midwest cities in general have so much to offer." She hopes more Gen Zers decide not to "live in a shoebox" sized place and "go to cities where they can have a better quality of life and community."

"You can live in a city like New York and still feel very alone, even living with three roommates and sharing a bathroom," Ball said.

Moving to the Midwest

Ball got to see what Indianapolis was like when she visited her mom while she was on a work assignment as a travel nurse during the pandemic. "There was just something really charming about the city," Ball said.

Ball was also considering furthering her education around this time. She said she came across an ad about the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy during this visit. She moved to Indianapolis shortly before pursuing a master's in philanthropic studies.

"I was going through a career transition," she said, adding she had been in the fashion industry for several years, including as an undergraduate in New York City and while working in Italy after graduating. "I was kind of gravitating towards the more socially impactful side of the industry."

The feeling of home was one thing that drew her to Indianapolis. "The architecture in Indianapolis is very similar to the Washington, DC, area," she said. "There was something about that environment that just made it feel like home."

The professional opportunities also drew her to the city. Ball recently completed her master's and has been working for the Be Nimble Foundation, "a nonprofit that focuses on wealth equity for communities of color. I am our director of development, so I oversee fundraising," she said.

"I had led a very successful career for how old I was up until moving here, and I think people were afraid for me, for the decision that I was making," she said. "So, I have absolutely no regrets. I'm still kind of blown away. I think it was one of the best decisions I could have ever made for my career."

Ball also highlighted Garden Pardi, an event during Black Innovation Week organized by the Be Nimble Foundation that she attended before working at the nonprofit. She said there were many young professionals of color "that were celebrating entrepreneurship and innovation in the tech industry."

"That was really what hit me when I was like, 'oh, I could see myself here' because I could see so many people that looked like me here, that were thriving here, that had businesses that were just successful," she said. "I just met so many friends during that week that it made it feel really real for me."

Pros of being in Indianapolis

One positive about Indianapolis is the living space Ball has compared to back in New York.

"I often say I lived in a tissue box then, but I did love New York, and I still love New York, and so one of the best perks I think of Indianapolis is that I can afford to go back, and I can afford to travel as often as I want," Ball said.

Ball also complimented the Indianapolis airport, noting, "I love leaving, and I love coming home because it's the smoothest."

She and her dog live in a one-bedroom apartment in a "prime area" in downtown Indianapolis. She didn't live alone while in New York.

Now, without the help of roommates, Ball's been paying just over $1,600 in rent in Indianapolis, more than she said she paid for her share of a couple of apartments in New York.

Ball said although she's paying more, she has way more "peace, comfort, and space in an apartment."

Indianapolis is relatively affordable — Zillow shows that the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Indianapolis is less than the national median.

"I rent, but I am looking to own, partly because I think it is so — it's worth the investment here," Ball said. "The fact that there are still properties I could afford, it is definitely a pro."

She also likes the food in Indianapolis, saying, "people dispute over the food scene here, but I have not been disappointed."

Ball enjoys "curling up with a journal" and attending jazz nights at Parlor Public House in Indianapolis, her favorite coffee shop "that feels like being back in Williamsburg." She said she worked remotely and studied at the shop so often that she ended up meeting her partner, another regular, there.

She also finds downtown Indianapolis beautiful, including White River State Park. Ball also finds people are kind, and she has also found people being so helpful has also been "transformative" for her career.

Milan Ball's dog at White River State Park. Courtesy of Milan Ball

She does miss getting around via subway in New York City and finds it tough not having a car to get around in Indianapolis.

"For a lot of my time here, I just Uber and Lyft because I live downtown," she said. "It's affordable enough for me to do that, which can be a pro, but con being not having a car here is not the most ideal."

Ball's advice for others seeking to move is "just being open to everything." Ball said while not everyone may enjoy doing things alone, "gamifying the experience can be helpful."

"Part of why I was able to kind of navigate the city and create, form friendships really quickly is because I just kind of threw myself into the water," she said.

What has your moving experience to a different city, state, or country been like? Reach out to this reporter to share at [email protected].

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