Article Table Of Contents
Indianapolis's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Indianapolis.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Indianapolis. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.
So the question arises, which Indianapolis neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?
Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Indianapolis hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Indianapolis area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Lockerble Square ranks way above the rest.
We examined 26 of Indianapolis's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Indianapolis's reputation.
The Worst Neighborhoods In Indianapolis For 2022
So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Indianapolis for 2022? According to the most recent census data, Bos looks to be the worst neighborhood in Indianapolis.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Indianapolis that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Indianapolis.
For more Indiana reading, check out:
The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Indianapolis For 2022
/10
Population: 4,853
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $76,140 (6th worst)
Median Income: $20,135 (2nd worst)
More on Bos: Data
/10
Population: 199
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $122,226 (12th worst)
Median Income: $378 (worst)
More on Concord: Data
/10
Population: 7
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $201,083 (17th worst)
Median Income: $71,339 (23rd worst)
More on Foxwood: Data
/10
Population: 11,421
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $85,365 (10th worst)
Median Income: $44,605 (16th worst)
More on Far Eastside: Data
/10
Population: 5,352
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $71,996 (4th worst)
Median Income: $39,330 (13th worst)
More on Near North: Data
/10
Population: 16,238
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $53,428 (worst)
Median Income: $30,536 (7th worst)
More on West Indianapolis: Data
/10
Population: 10,141
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $77,593 (8th worst)
Median Income: $24,851 (4th worst)
More on Martindale: Data
/10
Population: 30,609
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $76,454 (7th worst)
Median Income: $26,548 (5th worst)
More on United Northeast: Data
/10
Population: 18,138
Rank Last Year: 9 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $64,058 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $28,850 (6th worst)
More on United Northwest: Data
/10
Population: 27,239
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $61,476 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $31,634 (9th worst)
More on Westside: Data
Methodology: How we determined the worst Indianapolis neighborhoods in 2022
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Indianapolis:
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
- High crime (Estimated)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Indianapolis, Indiana for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".
The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Indianapolis.
Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Indianapolis to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 26 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Indianapolis
Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Indianapolis with Bos landing at the bottom of the pack.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Indianapolis aren't all bad. Lockerble Square takes the cake as the best place to live in Indianapolis.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Indiana reading, check out:
Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Indianapolis For 2022?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bos | 4,853 |
| 2 | Concord | 199 |
| 3 | Foxwood | 7 |
| 4 | Far Eastside | 11,421 |
| 5 | Near North | 5,352 |
| 6 | West Indianapolis | 16,238 |
| 7 | Martindale | 10,141 |
| 8 | United Northeast | 30,609 |
| 9 | United Northwest | 18,138 |
| 10 | Westside | 27,239 |
| 11 | Fountain Square | 450 |
| 12 | Southeast | 26,972 |
| 13 | Kingpark | 10,091 |
| 14 | Reserve At Spring Mill | 56 |
| 15 | Indy East | 43,511 |
| 16 | Pogue's Run | 370 |
| 17 | Green Pastures | 6 |
| 18 | Meridian Meadows | 54 |
| 19 | Fletcher Place | 2,888 |
| 20 | Mapelton | 8,280 |
| 21 | Cornerstone Place | 30 |
| 22 | Lexington Farms | 276 |
| 23 | Orchard Estates | 24 |
| 24 | Irvington | 5,534 |
| 25 | Riley | 20,609 |
| 26 | Lockerble Square | 978 |
