A resilient community rebounding from a major economic setback
Anderson, a Central Indiana city 45 miles northeast of Indianapolis, is a place where residents pride themselves on their resilience. Each time the city has faced economic hardship over the decades, it has found a way to rebound—and the belief locally is that Anderson’s latest renaissance is underway. “This is a community that’s scrappy. It's going to claw its way back,” says Rich Jorn, executive director of the city’s historic Paramount Theatre. “There's definitely a commitment from its citizens to bring it back to its glory days, one way or another.” As Realtor Sam Johnson with F.C. Tucker/Prosperity puts it, “There’s going to be a book written about this.”
Near the turn of the 20th century, a natural gas boom turned Anderson into one of Indiana’s most thriving cities, earning the nickname “Queen City of the Gas Belt.” When the gas deposits ran dry in 1912, Anderson had to reinvent itself as a manufacturing hub. And it was quite the hub—in 1950, Anderson even had its own NBA franchise for one season.
By the 1970s, one in three Anderson residents worked for General Motors. Those jobs dwindled in the decades that followed, and in 2007, GM closed shop in the city for good.
Nearly 20 years later, Anderson still bears some scars. The population peaked at around 70,000 residents in 1970 and is down to 55,000 today.
However, the city is keying a comeback story built around a more diversified economy with the infrastructure already in place and a location along Interstate 69 between Indianapolis, Muncie and Fort Wayne. The unemployment rate is on par with the national average after spiking above 13% in the years following GM's closing. Johnson says many who left the city to find work elsewhere are beginning to return. “People are moving back home,” Johnson says, “because they know what we’ve got here.”
General Motors is another popular employer in Anderson.
The popular company Nestle USA is located in Anderson.
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Anderson University and Interstate 69 play major roles in local economy and culture
The Church of God (Anderson), a sect of the Christian Holiness movement serving nearly 8,000 congregations worldwide, has been based in the city since 1905. Anderson University, founded as a bible training school, celebrates its 100th year as a Church of God-affiliated liberal arts university in 2025. About 1,500 students attend AU, which sits on a tree-lined 100-acre campus on the city’s northeast side.
Anderson’s economic revival is tied to a variety of employers rather than just one primary industry. Nestle produces Nesquik and Coffee-Mate at its Anderson plant. NTN Driveshaft continues the city’s legacy in the automotive industry. Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing and Casino is a harness racing track and casino that is another of the city’s major employers. Anderson’s two hospitals—Ascension St. Vincent Anderson and Community Hospital Anderson—are the city’s largest private employers.
Train traffic is a frequent part of life in Anderson, thanks to a CSX Transportation freight yard south of downtown.
Interstate 69 borders Anderson to the south, leading 45 miles to Indianapolis and 85 miles to Fort Wayne. Dayton, Ohio, is around 100 miles southeast of downtown Anderson. Muncie, home of Ball State University, is 20 miles to the northeast along State Road 32.
The City of Anderson Transit System, known locally as CATS, has seven bus routes to take locals across town. Additionally, Indianapolis International Airport is about an hour's drive.
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Historic Paramount Theatre is an anchor of the downtown arts scene
The city has an active downtown art scene. The Paramount Theatre, which has stood for nearly 100 years, hosts live music, movies, comedians, community events and more. The Paramount is one of less than 20 surviving atmospheric theatres in the United States. “The idea of an atmospheric theatre is that you’re going into the courtyard of the selected environment. Ours happens to be the courtyard of a Spanish villa,” Jorn says. “It’s amazing. It's such a beautiful theater. It's something everyone should be proud to have in their hometown.”
Community performing arts productions are also shown at Anderson’s Mainstage Theatre on Ninth Street, and The Alley Theatre Company puts on seven productions throughout the year.
The Anderson Museum of Art has four public exhibits displaying the artwork of local creatives. The museum also hosts events for businesses, the local Women’s League and private parties.
On the first Friday of each month, shops along Main Street have extended retail hours, and residents can listen to live music while shopping. On Saturday mornings between May and September, shoppers flock to the Anderson Farmer’s Market to support local businesses while buying fresh produce, baked goods, handmade decor and more. The market also offers classes on topics like composting, gardening and container planting.
Each summer, Anderson on Tap features over 20 Indiana craft breweries along with live music, local vendors and artists.
Enjoy a show at Anderson's downtown Paramount Theater.
Paramount Theater is one of fewer than 20 surviving atmospheric theaters in the U.S., located in Anderson.
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Familiar chains, plus a local icon all the way from Uranus
Keystone at the Crossing Mall in Indianapolis is about a 40-minute drive from Anderson for major shopping trips. The city also has plenty of local shopping and dining options and a number of national chains.
The cheekily named Uranus Fudge Factory and General Store is a local favorite that attracts plenty of curious travelers from I-69. The city’s most iconic restaurant, The Lemon Drop, befits Anderson’s industry-town roots. The simple, bright yellow drive-in opened in 1954 and has only 27 seats, but they’re often filled thanks to the restaurant’s iconic onion burgers.
Chick Fil A is one of several fast-food chains in Anderson.
Stop by Uranus Indiana for some local candy and entertainment in Anderson.
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Houses reflect the city's varying eras and economic cycles
Houses in Anderson date back to the late 19th-century natural gas boom that put the city on the map. Arts and Crafts, Craftsman, and Queen Anne designs are among the many styles on display closer to downtown. Mid-century ranch-style homes reflecting Anderson’s postwar growth are common elsewhere throughout the city.
Vacant city lots can start below $10,000, and older homes in need of repair sell for as little as $30,000. Move-in ready homes start around $75,000. The median home price in Anderson is around $130,000, which is about $100,000 less than in Indianapolis and significantly less than the national median of just over $400,000. Johnson says the latter is leading to an increase in homebuyers moving to Anderson from Indy.
“People know they can get a lot more house here for less money,” Johnson says. For instance, an 18,000-square-foot Colonial Revival mansion with a one-lane bowling alley recently sold for $650,000.
The City of Anderson releases an annual action plan that outlines the area’s upcoming development projects. The community is working to expand access to affordable housing, revitalize high-priority low-income neighborhoods and provide educational programs and down-payment assistance to low- and moderate-income homeowners.
Many homes in Anderson were built in the 1900s.
There are a wide variety of home styles throughout Anderson.
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Recreation ranges from ancient mounds to a night at the races
The White River Trail runs along the banks of the White River, which flows through the city just north of downtown as it meanders toward Indianapolis. The 2-mile trail passes by a variety of outdoor recreational areas, including Shadyside Lake, where visitors can use the pickleball courts or launch their canoe or kayak. The trail also passes the multiuse sports fields at Derby Downs Park and the playground at Alex Pike Park.
Nature enthusiasts flock to Mounds State Park in eastern Anderson. The park’s name comes from the 10 earthworks throughout it, built by the native prehistoric Adena-Hopewell people. The largest mound dates back to 160 B.C. Hikers can walk along the park’s 6 miles of wooded trails before setting up camp at the Mounds State Park Family Campground.
Anderson has two public golf courses, Meadowbrook and Grandview, and the private Anderson Country Club.
Residents can also enjoy two forms of racing. Hoosier Park, one of just two horse tracks in Indiana, hosts harness racing from April through November. Anderson Speedway, a local staple since 1948, hosts weekly Saturday night races in addition to two major annual events – the Little 500 sprint car race on Memorial Day weekend and the Redbud 400 stock car race in July.
Mounds State Park in Anderson features earthworks built by the ancient Adena-Hopewell people, dating back to 160 B.C.
Anderson Speedway is a popular place to see local events in Anderson.
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Anderson Community Schools among multiple choices
Anderson Community School Corporation receives a C rating from Niche. The district has six elementary, three middle and one high school. Anderson High earns a B-minus grade and has a student-to-teacher ratio of 14-1. The Anderson High University program was founded in 2023 to partner with Ivy Tech Community College to provide students with knowledge of different potential career pathways they could pursue post-graduation.
In addition to public education, Anderson Preparatory Academy is a K-12 military-based academy with a B-minus rating. All high school cadets are part of the Air Force JROTC program. A-minus-rated Liberty Christian School and B-minus-rated Indiana Christian Academy are private K-12 schools also available to Anderson students.
Students in Anderson may attend Anderson Christian Academy.
Anderson Preparatory Academy is a popular schooling option in Anderson.
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Higher-than-average crime rates
Property and violent crime rates in Anderson are higher than the state and national averages.
Floods are a concern near the banks of White River and Killibuck Creek. Significant flooding occurred in 1913, 1964 and 2003.
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