Ellettsville is a growing town with a rock-hard history
Ellettsville, Indiana, was among the players in the region’s renowned limestone trade. This town of under 8,000 people once provided stone for many buildings across the country, including landmarks like the Washington National Cathedral. Limestone craftsmanship remains one of the town’s most visible features, as seen by its public art and a few buildings in its historic downtown. Its limestone history aside, Ellettsville offers a smaller community away from Bloomington's college crowds and housing costs.
“It’s a small town, but you’re not too far from Bloomington or Spencer. You can still, within 5 or 10 minutes, get to another town that’s a little bigger than Ellettsville,” says Michelle Stanger, a Realtor and owner of Stanger Homes. “It’s easy to get to the IU [Indiana University] games or concerts that are going on. And it’s up and coming and growing with housing.”
The town's housing includes historic and new homes
Groups of mature trees line roads and surround homes in some parts of Ellettsville. Like in the region’s other communities, several homes here have limestone exteriors. The town has many ranch-style, bi-level, Colonial Revival and New Traditional homes. While there is new housing, there are also some historic 19th-century homes. Those older homes include the well-known Matthews Mansion, a Second Empire-style landmark. More housing is coming, too, as shown by the 2024 groundbreaking of the Harman Farm development. Most homes smaller than 3,000 square feet run between $180,000 and $550,000. Several larger homes go from $570,000 to $940,000. Ellettsville’s median sale price is about $70,000 lower than Bloomington’s. However, the town’s median sale price is even lower than Bloomington neighborhoods like Blue Ridge and Renwick. "In Bloomington, you're paying a lot for location, and Bloomington's just way too high," Stanger says.
Ellettsville has cafes, down-home cooking and diverse dining
Ellettsville has a few cafes, fast-food chains, pizza parlors and other local spots serving down-home cooking and comfort foods. Many may start their day at The Caffeinated Cook. “She has absolutely amazing scones and coffee,” says Mickey Gray, owner of Mimosa Tree Florist & Gift Shoppe. Phat Daddy’s BBQ serves grilled meats with sides like baked beans. For some Pacific flavors, there’s The Hawaiian Hoosier serving fried rice, chicken katsu, stir fry and more. Grocery shoppers may go to IGA.
Youth sports facilities and trails make up recreation
The town has amenities for local youth, including several baseball fields run by nonprofit Ellettsville Youth Sports. Marci Jane Lewis Park has basketball and pickleball courts, while nearby Jacks Defeat Creek draws dog walkers and others looking to stand and play in its rugged creek bed. Other outdoor amenities include the half-mile Heritage Trail, where art is placed along the path, including a limestone sculpture of a young girl and her dog and an archway made of large blocks of stone. The trail links up with Karst Farm Greenway, a 7-mile path that goes to a prominent multi-use park west of Bloomington. There is more public art near Bybee Stone Company. The sculptures near the stone mill’s entrance include those of Bigfoot and Grogu from the Star Wars universe.
Richland-Bean Blossom district serves the town
Ellettsville is home to Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation, which receives a B from Niche. Students here may start at Edgewood Primary School, which gets a B-minus and covers kindergarten to second grade. They may then finish their elementary years at Edgewood Intermediate School, which receives a B. Edgewood Junior High and Edgewood High schools both get B grades. “It’s a great school system,” Stanger says. “It’s known for their marching band and, academically, it’s really nice.” In 2024, the marching band won its third state title in a row.
Ellettsville is home to the Monroe County Fall Festival
Ellettsville is home to the Monroe County Fall Festival, which celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2025. Each September, more than 50,000 people from around the region come to Park Street to listen to live music, try out festival fare and look for crafts. The festival also involves a Saturday parade and a flea market.
State Road 46 goes to Bloomington, Hoosiers facilities and a hospital
Indiana State Road 46 gives commuters a route to Bloomington, less than 10 miles southeast. For fans of Hoosier sports, the highway goes directly to facilities like Memorial Stadium and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The highway also goes to IU Health Bloomington Hospital, located nearly 10 miles southeast. Ellettsville is less than 10 miles west of Interstate 69, which goes to other regional destinations like Indianapolis. Indy is home to Indianapolis International Airport, nearly 60 miles north of Ellettsville.
