Breaking down the state of downtown Indianapolis
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Civic leaders say they're paying close attention to residents' perception of downtown Indianapolis as they work to significantly increase its population.
Why it matters: With the goal of growing downtown's population by 65%, or 20,000 people, over the next decade and the competition for new residents getting stiffer across the region, understanding exactly how people feel about life in the heart of downtown will help leaders set clear priorities.
What they're saying: "Downtown has a lot going for it, and it's not going unnoticed by the places we compete with," said Downtown Indy Alliance (formerly Downtown Indy Inc.) president and CEO Taylor Schaffer.
- "In this case, I don't mean Louisville or Columbus or Charlotte … I mean Carmel. And Fishers. And Noblesville. Cities that have taken a page out of our walkable downtown playbook and are doubling down on new housing in order to grow communities rapidly."
State of downtown: The Downtown Indy Alliance's 2025 Community Report found that the population has increased nearly 6% since 2023 to a total of 30,467 people. The number of families living downtown has grown nearly 70% since 2010.
- Millennials make up the largest share of residents, followed closely by Gen Z, putting downtown's median age at 31.5 years old.
- Gen Z and Gen Alpha are two of the fastest-growing populations and represent 43% of all downtown residents.
- Downtown accounts for 22% of the annual tax revenue generated in Marion County, and 23 new businesses opened downtown in the past 12 months.
Zoom in: The report tracking residential, business and real estate growth also included a perception survey taken by nearly 2,200 residents to track downtown attitudes. Key takeaways include:
🚶 Out and about: 84% of respondents said downtown is easy to navigate on foot. About 78% were satisfied with entertainment and dining options; and 63% said they love being downtown.
🚨 Safety first: Agreement that "Downtown feels safe" rose to 57% when compared to the year before, while "Downtown is clean" increased to 53%. Property owners' perception scores went up by 13% year-over-year compared to 10% for residents.
♥️ Hometown love: Emotional connection rose 8 points from last year to 63%, with double-digit increases among property owners, people of color, men and young adults.
📈 Movin' on up: 66% of residents said downtown offers a better experience than it did five years ago.
Schaffer says the path to a more prosperous downtown lies with the people. Not the planners.
- "We know that downtown residents become advocates and partners for a better downtown when they live downtown," she said, pointing to office-to-apartment conversion projects like the Gold Building and Angie's List Building as ways to drive more people to the area.
- "It won't be easy, but none of the most audacious tasks we've taken on as a community ever are," Schaffer said.
The bottom line: The city of Indianapolis is much bigger than Mile Square, but attitudes toward downtown impact everyone who calls Indy home.