Top ten reasons to live in Muncie (other than Letterman jokes)

January 31, 2009 9:28 AM

What's to like about Muncie, Indiana?

For better or worse, I have an attractive job opportunity in Muncie, Indiana. As a lifelong east coast liberal (mid-Atlantic, college-town variety), I'm concerned about moving there.

Culture? Diversity? Cost of living? Food? What have you dear Muncie?

posted by joe vrrr to grab bag (11 comments total)

Indiana native speaking: Um, little. Home to Ball State, lots of college kids so lots of good liquor stores. Kind of a party school, but still has music and art as a result if you seek it out. You can always drive to Terre Haute or Indy if you're looking for something a little more metro (relatively speaking)
posted by mrstrotsky at 9:33 AM on January 31

I left Muncie in 1995 after graduating from college and getting a better job and never looked back. However, a friend who also attended Ball State moved back because of a great job opportunity said she was shocked that there are neighborhoods and good schools and a community she never knew existed. They're (she and her husband and their two kids) very happy there now, after wondering what in the holy hell they were doing moving back.

I can pass along your information to her if you'd like. For what it's worth, they're also liberal, so they'd be likely to understand where you're coming from.
posted by cooker girl at 9:36 AM on January 31

People who like The Hudsucker Proxy will be momentarily amused when you tell them where you're from.
posted by phunniemee at 10:03 AM on January 31 [1 favorite has favorites]

My parents went to Ball State, as did my grandparents, and there was a huge pressure campaign to get me to go there that failed. It's OK, although most of my enjoyment was based on my grandparent's huge garden on Bethel Avenue - which is no longer there. From what I remember, there was a decent arts community, some OK discount shopping and it was close enough to Indianapolis that you could make a day trip for increased entertainment.

Mostly, though, it's a place teeming with college kids - unless you jump on the university adults social circuit, there's not much there.
posted by medea42 at 10:49 AM on January 31

Mid sized midwestern towns are great, university ones have the added advantage of some imported contemporary culture and art. I grew up in one. They have old neighborhoods and neighbors who know each other. Great bargains on houses, schools can be underfunded, but the upside is that all the pols and media send their kids there too, so there's a buy in to the public schools in towns like these.

Downsides-- racial stratification (this may have changed, I hope, since I left 30 years ago); dismal job prospects, not much nightlife. I very much wish I could have brought up my children in my Muncie-like hometown.

(full disclosure-- mr. nax was born in Muncie)
posted by nax at 12:06 PM on January 31

Q L's
posted by sagwalla at 12:56 PM on January 31

Diversity?
Sort of a blanket request....can folks please be more specific as to what they're looking for when they refer to "diversity"? By definition, Muncie is diverse: there are tall people and short people living within the city limits, as well as overweight and slender people; you'll also find both industrial manufacturing-type factories and also office buildings filled with proprietors offering professional services.
posted by Oriole Adams at 1:11 PM on January 31

Q L's was the best barbecue I've ever had. A regular excursion for weekend dinners.

I also left Ball State in 1983 to move to California and never looked back. But I'm sure the campus experience was very different than outside the campus area.

We went to Indy (Castleton area) when we wanted to get away. More to do there, but not much more. But no telling how much Muncie's changed in the last 25 years.

I think the biggest difference for me living in the SF Bay Area vs. Muncie is how many good restaurants, theaters, museums, culture, etc exits within an hour of where I live. There's not much outside of Muncie to go to except Indy and its all fields between the two.
posted by rsclark at 2:12 PM on January 31

Not much, according to friends I have who moved from my liberal college town to take a job in Muncie for a few years. They had to drive to Indianapolis for movies, concerts, etc.
posted by pinky at 2:19 PM on January 31

Don't know much about Muncie, but Insomnia Radio podcast did a show a while back featuring bands from the town. Might be a good starting site to learn more about the music scene there.

Apparently, the Herot is a great beer bar if you're into that.
posted by kjars at 4:09 PM on January 31

Do you like Garfield?
posted by IndigoRain at 10:04 PM on January 31