Albany offers laid-back living and access to coveted schools
Passing through Albany, Indiana, drivers recognize Dairy Dream's neon ice cream cone as an unmissable sign that the Ohio border is about 30 minutes away. However, travelers might be surprised to learn that this small community was once a natural gas boomtown. The gas supply was exhausted more than a hundred years ago, at which point the factories, businesses and luxury hotels started to close. Today, the town of 2,300 has a much slower pace of life, which Albany residents prefer. “We’re a small-town bedroom community. Most of the people who live here work out of town but choose Albany to reside in because we have a quiet community,” says Steve Hall, town council president and lifelong resident. “Our school corporation has a great reputation. We have people who move here because of the schools. It’s a great place to live and raise your kids.”
Students can enter college as sophomores through the University of Delta High School
The well-regarded Delta Community School Corporation receives a B-plus from Niche. Albany Elementary School is in town and receives a B-plus, while Delta Middle School receives a B. College prep is a major focus in the district, so much so that A-minus Delta High School was rebranded as the University of Delta High School. “Our seniors can get two-plus years of college credit before they graduate,” says Hall, who also served as district superintendent. “We are chartered through the University of Indianapolis. It’s different from AP [Advanced Placement] because, after taking the AP course, students have to take the AP test, but our teachers are certified, so once students pass the class, the credit is available at about any college in the state.”
Single-family homes from the 1800s and new subdivisions
Albany has a mix of home styles and prices, ranging from late-19th-century farmhouses to midcentury ranch-style homes and new builds in subdivisions on the outskirts of town. Small three-bedroom cottages, bungalows and ranch-style homes range from $70,000 to $130,000, while larger renovated homes run from $140,000 to $300,000. New builds and homes in subdivisions like On The Fairways, a golf course community, can cost between $300,000 and $450,000. Overall, the median home price is about $170,000, though rehabs and fixer-uppers can cost between $10,000 and $60,000.
Nostalgic local businesses and new commercial growth
Albany’s downtown is tucked away on State Route 28. “What you see on Walnut Street is probably only half of what we have,” Hall says. “We have a vibrant downtown area with about 50 shops and stores that people can come and visit. We have an old-time hardware store where you go in, and it has wooden floors, and the owner waits on you. A lot of people still like to do that instead of going to the big-box stores.” Dairy Dream is an Albany mainstay on State Route 67. Once the nostalgic ice cream shop opens for the season, sweet tooths are willing to wait in long lines down the highway. But those looking for a sweet fix can also get a cool treat at Iceburg Ice Cream.
“In recent years, we’ve started to grow,” Hall says. “In the last two years, we’ve added — and for most big towns, this isn’t a big deal, but it is for us — we have a Taco Bell, we have a Casey’s that’s being built, and we have a new Dollar General.” Minars Market IGA is an independent grocery store with fresh cuts of meat and produce. If residents can’t find it in town, most head about 10 miles to Muncie for retail shopping, restaurants and grocery stores.
Wildcat Park has a splash pad and an amphitheater
“Going back a few years, we had a vision of what we’d like to see happen in town, and one of the things our residents talked about was parks and rec, having something for the kids,” Hall says. With the help of a land donation from the school district, the town transformed a former ball field into Wildcat Park. “We put in a splash pad and new pickleball courts, and this summer, for the first time, we’ve put in an amphitheater and stage.” Residents also take advantage of the Albany Golf Club, an 18-hole public course. The Albany Community Library, another vital part of town, is run by volunteers.
State Routes 67 and 28 lead to Ohio
State Route 67, or Walnut Street in town, connects Indiana and Ohio and has a considerable amount of semitrailer traffic. State Route 28 branches southeast into the Buckeye State. There’s an active rail line through town, but only one to two trains pass through daily. “A lot of the trains that come through are very short, so they might only block things for a minute or two,” Hall says. Muncie and Portland, about 20 minutes away, both have an IU Health hospital. Many residents drive less than an hour to Celina, Ohio, for a day trip full of shopping, dining and entertainment. During the summer, boaters dock at waterfront bars on Grand Lake St. Marys.
An 80-year-old Halloween Parade and new events
Albany prides itself on its annual Halloween Parade, which has been one of the town’s most anticipated celebrations for more than 80 years. In 2025, the town added a new event to the schedule: Heritage Days. “The town itself was founded in 1833, and we want to showcase that history,” Hall says. “We are in the process of having three or four bands, we’ll have a car show, we’ll have vendors, and we’ll display things that people can look at in terms of Albany history.”
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