Indiana Featured Real Estate Agents and Communities
A largely rural state in the middle of the country, Indiana often refers to itself as "the crossroads of America," because so many travelers and transporters cross through it to reach their destinations. The state is home to about 6 million residents, called "Hoosiers," making it the 15th-most populated state. There are a few mid-sized cities, a number of smaller industrial cities and a smattering of small, rural towns. Indianapolis is the state's capital and largest city. Other cities include Fort Wayne in the northeast corner of the state, Evansville in the southwest, South Bend in the north-central part, and Gary, near Lake Michigan and just outside of Chicago. Much of the northwest corner of the state is considered part of the Chicago metropolitan area, with around one million residents in the region. There are 24 Indiana state parks, nine man-made reservoirs and hundreds of lakes in the state. Some of the largest parks include George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial and Hoosier National Forest. There are three caves in the state: Wyandotte, Marengo and Squire Boone Caverns. The state's economy is largely agricultural and industrial, with much manufacturing of steel, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Corn and soybeans are the major crops, and the state is a leader in alternative energy, with 12 ethanol and four biodiesel plants.
Indianapolis is home to basketball's Pacers and football's Colts, as well as the Indy 500, the largest single-day sporting event in the world, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. High school basketball is incredibly popular here as well, with some high school gymnasiums rivaling those of Division I colleges. The southern region of the state is home to one of the largest limestone quarry regions in the world, and Indiana limestone has been used in buildings such as the Empire State Building and the Pentagon. The state's landscape is mostly flat farmland, but the southern part of the state has hills and valley. The state is home to the headquarters of Eli Lilly and Mead Johnson Nutritionals, a division of Bristol-Myers Squib. The main commercial airport is in Indianapolis, with smaller ones in Evansville and Fort Wayne. Large state schools include Indiana University and its eight campuses, Purdue University and Ball State University, and the state's Ivy Tech Community College system. There are also several private schools, most notably the University of Notre Dame.
