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Living in Anderson, IN

Small city in Indiana

Anderson is a small city in Indiana, home to about 55,000 people, with 680,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Anderson a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $156k and rents for $1,590 a month
  • Strong healthcare: 7 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 82°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 9 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Fewer graduates: 16% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Anderson ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
55,000
680,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
38°F / 82°F
Average daily highs · 17″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$156k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,590/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
88
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,275
State income tax per resident · 0.9% property tax
Safety
1.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
9 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
7
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
16%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
IND
41 mi away

Living in Anderson: common questions

What is the cost of living in Anderson?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $156k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,590 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 88, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Anderson?

Indiana collects about $1,275 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.9% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Anderson safe?

Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.2× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Anderson?

Anderson has cold winters: winter days average around 38°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 17″ of snow a year.

Does Anderson get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 9 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.45 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Anderson?

The nearest major airport is IND, about 41 mi away.

How Anderson scores

Each bar compares Anderson with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Relaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Average
💼Job market Below average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Average
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Moderate crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Average

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Is Anderson right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.