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Data: Guttmacher Institute; Note: 2020 value is 50% of the abortion caseload for each state in that year; Map: Axios Visuals

Even before Indiana's near-total abortion ban took effect last month, the state already saw its number of abortions drop in 2023 compared to 2020.

Driving the news: In the first six months of 2023 Indiana saw about 3% fewer abortions than during the same period in 2020, according to new data from the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights research and policy group.

That amounts to a decrease of about 100 abortions, the institute estimates. 

Flashback: Indiana's six abortion clinics stopped providing the procedure last month after the Indiana Supreme Court upheld the ban in a case based on privacy rights.

Details: The ban, passed in an August 2022 special session, includes exceptions in the cases of serious health risk to the mother and for a "lethal fetal anomaly" up to 20 weeks gestational age.  

It also allows exceptions for victims of rape and incest, but only up to 10 weeks. 

The big picture: Nationally, states near those that banned abortion after Roe v. Wade was overturned last summer have seen a sharp increase in the number of procedures performed. This is likely due to an influx of border-hopping patients, Axios' Adriel Bettelheim reports.

Illinois, for example, saw a nearly 70% increase totaling about 18,300 abortions during the same time period Indiana saw a drop. 

Ohio and Michigan also saw slight increases.

What we're watching: A separate Marion County case that is challenging the abortion law on religious freedom grounds remains active.

Indiana abortions fell even before the ban went into effect

The ban, passed in August 2022, outlaws most abortions after eight weeks.

Indiana

Even before Indiana&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="near-total abortion ban" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/06/indiana-eric-holcomb-abortion-bill-vote" data-vars-content-id="366afc7c-142c-4f4c-b9b8-4e880ebf7e4f" data-vars-headline="Indiana abortions fell even before the ban went into effect" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/06/indiana-eric-holcomb-abortion-bill-vote" target="_self">near-total abortion ban</a> took effect last month, the state already saw its number of abortions drop in 2023 compared to 2020.Driving the news: In the first six months of 2023 Indiana saw about 3% fewer abortions than during the same period in 2020, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new data from the Guttmacher Institute" data-vars-click-url="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.guttmacher.org/monthly-abortion-provision-study&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1694703798513004&amp;usg=AOvVaw1K9PKrqQp-Bfcfy5Jfglpw" data-vars-content-id="366afc7c-142c-4f4c-b9b8-4e880ebf7e4f" data-vars-headline="Indiana abortions fell even before the ban went into effect" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.guttmacher.org/monthly-abortion-provision-study&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1694703798513004&amp;usg=AOvVaw1K9PKrqQp-Bfcfy5Jfglpw" target="_blank">new data from the Guttmacher Institute</a>, an abortion rights research and policy group.

Health

Politics

People who are born in Indiana apparently like to stay in Indiana.

Driving the news: Nearly 69% of native Hoosiers were still living in Indiana in 2021, and the state has an outmigration rate of 22 out of 1,000 residents, according to a new Dallas Fed report.

The report used U.S. Census Bureau data to rank each state's "stickiness," determining which are best at retaining their native residents.

Outmigration measures both people born here and people who have moved here from elsewhere.

Why it matters: Residents sticking around is key to maintaining a stable population and workforce, which is vital to economic growth, per the study.

Data: Dallas Fed via U.S. Census; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Zoom out: Indiana came in 18th nationally for "stickiness." Texas came in first with 82%, and Wyoming came in last at about 45%.

Four of the five "stickiest" states had below-average state and local tax burdens, the report's authors pointed out.

The intrigue: Indiana ranks 9th nationally in overall state business tax climate, while Wyoming — which does not have corporate or individual taxes — ranks 1st, according to the Tax Foundation think tank.

Indiana state lawmakers are considering eliminating the income tax — and at least one candidate for governor supports the idea — but it would cost roughly $8 billion annually.

Threat level: A 2022 report from Ascend Indiana and EmployIndy found the pandemic "permanently altered" Indiana's job landscape, accelerating job growth in occupations requiring a degree while non-degreed jobs shrunk. 

Crucially, the report found that too few high schoolers are pursuing the degrees needed to fill those jobs.

A recent TechPoint analysis highlighted that the state's demand for tech industry workers is surpassing the supply of workers needed to fill those jobs.

Of note: The Indiana Economic Development Corp. has established a scholarship program designed to retain its talent by covering local high schoolers' tuition at Indiana colleges or universities. 

one candidate for governor supports the idea

More than two-thirds of native Hoosiers stay in Indiana

Illustration of a suitcase with a sticker shaped like Indiana.

People who are born in Indiana apparently like to stay in Indiana.Driving the news: Nearly 69% of native Hoosiers were still living in Indiana in 2021, and the state has an outmigration rate of 22 out of 1,000 residents, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new Dallas Fed report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.dallasfed.org/research/economics/2023/0829" data-vars-content-id="4f9a75d4-9a75-42c4-ad7c-1ff873b9b70a" data-vars-headline="More than two-thirds of native Hoosiers stay in Indiana" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.dallasfed.org/research/economics/2023/0829" target="_blank">new Dallas Fed report</a>.

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News

Seattle

Axios Seattle

Roughly 1 in 4 Hoosier seniors are working past the age of 65, a decision senior advocacy groups say is often driven by fear and financial insecurity.

Driving the news: At an age when people could historically retire and get full Social Security benefits, 25.5% of Indy seniors — or 28,944 people — remain in the workforce, according to a new study of recent census data from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

That's above the national average of 1 in 5.

What they're saying: Many find meaning and connection through the jobs they do, but for others, a high cost of living means they can't afford to step back, Jason Erskine, a spokesperson for AARP in Washington, told Axios Seattle's Christine Clarridge.

"Whether it's housing, utilities, groceries or pain at the pump — older adults are finding themselves squeezed financially," he said.

In a recent AARP survey, 87% of older workers pointed to their paycheck as a leading reason for why they are continuing to work.

Zoom in: In Indianapolis, the median senior household income is $46,406, per the study.

The big picture: Americans retiring now are the first generation forced to rely on private savings, 401(k) plans and IRAs, which don't generate steady and predictable income the way pensions and Social Security do, Axios' Erica Pandey reports.

Just 36% of those 55 and older — nearing typical retirement age — say they'll be able to retire at the time they expected and 1 in 5 say they don't think they ever will, according to a recent Axios-Ipsos poll.

Zoom out: The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the labor force participation of older workers will continue to rise from 26.6% in 2022 to 29.9% in 2032 for people aged 65 to 74 and from 8.2% to 9.9% for those 75 and older.

A quarter of Indy seniors are working past 65

Illustration of an office chair with a doily on top, sitting on front of vintage wallpaper.

Retirement

Roughly 1 in 4 Hoosier seniors are working past the age of 65, a decision senior advocacy groups say is often driven by fear and financial insecurity.Driving the news: At an age when people could historically retire and get <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="full Social Security benefits" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cbpp.org/research/social-security/raising-social-securitys-retirement-age-would-cut-benefits-for-all-new#:~:text=As%20noted%2C%20the%20full%20retirement,age%20had%20remained%20at%2065." data-vars-content-id="56a4995c-21d2-4bd2-ba23-ce3d286604aa" data-vars-headline="A quarter of Indy seniors are working past 65" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/social-security/raising-social-securitys-retirement-age-would-cut-benefits-for-all-new#:~:text=As%20noted%2C%20the%20full%20retirement,age%20had%20remained%20at%2065." target="_blank">full Social Security benefits</a>, 25.5% of Indy seniors — or 28,944 people — remain in the workforce, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new study" data-vars-click-url="https://usw2.nyl.as/t1/14/9xog12klrnsxoo5swyhqehh32/0/d429572e0bafc14d06132dd0fc8ecfaf9a5c5ea69f3fee4658c50ec10a747cb4" data-vars-content-id="56a4995c-21d2-4bd2-ba23-ce3d286604aa" data-vars-headline="A quarter of Indy seniors are working past 65" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://usw2.nyl.as/t1/14/9xog12klrnsxoo5swyhqehh32/0/d429572e0bafc14d06132dd0fc8ecfaf9a5c5ea69f3fee4658c50ec10a747cb4" target="_blank">new study</a> of recent census data from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Data: RentCafe; Note: Includes buildings with 30 or more units; Table: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

The Indianapolis apartment industry is rebounding after the COVID-19 pandemic cut new construction in half. 

Driving the news: Roughly 2,761 new apartment units are expected in the Indianapolis metro area this year as developers ramp back up after a pandemic-related drop in 2022.

That's according to a new report by RentCafe, which analyzed data from real estate intelligence service Yardi Matrix.

Why it matters: High mortgage rates have made home buying less attractive, pushing more people into rentals.

What happened: "If you start working on a project in 2020, or '21, you're finishing construction in '22," said Chase Smith, vice president of market rate development for Indianapolis-based developer TWG.

"That [2022] dip down from historical levels is very much what I would have anticipated."

Yes, but: This year, the city was primed to bounce back, he said. 

"I think what you're seeing is money and confidence flowing right back into Indianapolis probably a little bit faster and more strongly than a lot of other major metros," he said. 

The intrigue: While the U.S. saw an annual decline in rent growth this spring, Indianapolis had one of the fastest year-over-year rent growth rates, per a Realtor.com analysis.

Smith attributes that to a range of factors including a low cost of living, two nearby Big Ten universities and employers including Eli Lilly, Salesforce and Rolls-Royce. 

The big picture: A surge in new apartment supply — 1.2 million units were completed during the pandemic — helped slow rent growth nationwide, but some parts of the country saw more housing being built than others.

Reality check: Around 89% of the units completed from 2020 through 2022 across the country are high-end, per the report, and not the type of affordable apartments many renters want.

Downtown Indianapolis has seen several high-end projects in recent years, such as The Whit and 360 Market Square, which cater to professionals with hotel-like amenities, including rooftop pools, dog parks and fitness centers that rival expensive health clubs.

Meanwhile, unlike other cities like Nashville, Austin and Phoenix, which have seen major apartment construction by national developers for years, Indianapolis hasn't attracted a real estate market bubble, Smith said. 

"There's never enough of an institutional focus [on the city] to make a bubble," he said. "I feel like Indianapolis is always a step behind a lot of other cities and sometimes that's a good thing."

What's next: Smith expects to see "more of the same" — steady growth for Indy's apartment market — in 2024 and 2025.

New apartment construction in Indy bounces back

The COVID-19 pandemic cut new apartment construction in half.

Indianapolis, Indiana

The Indianapolis apartment industry is rebounding after the COVID-19 pandemic cut new construction in half. Driving the news: Roughly 2,761 new apartment units are expected in the Indianapolis metro area this year as developers ramp back up after a pandemic-related drop in 2022.

Real Estate

Macro

Axios Macro

Migration out of Marion County between 2020 and 2021 caused a nearly $490 million drop in adjusted gross income — while surrounding counties saw a simultaneous increase.

The biggest winners were Hancock County, which had a 4.4% or $76 million increase, and Boone County, which saw a 3.4% increase amounting to $69 million, according to a new analysis of tax data from the Economic Innovation Group, a nonpartisan think tank.

Why it matters: Nearly half of Marion's tax revenues come from income tax, according to a city analysis.

Plus, the economy depends on residents' incomes to support the local housing market and retail sales.

The big picture: When millions of Americans rethought their living situations during the COVID-19 pandemic, their moves changed the geography of where money is made in the U.S.

The analysis quantifies why some of America's biggest cities are struggling to rebuild their economies post-pandemic.

Not only did people leave the biggest cities, but those who left had disproportionately high incomes — meaning the hit to the local economies was larger than migration numbers alone might imply.

Between the lines: Monroe County, where Bloomington is, and Vanderburgh County, home of Evansville, also saw drops in income during the same time period, while their surrounding areas also saw increases.

What they're saying: "The scale of urban income flight is a lot larger than I thought it would be," said Connor O'Brien, who conducted the analysis at EIG.

"It's very likely that the last couple of years in superstar cities, high earners have become more mobile, while everyone else has been stuck."

What's next: The data only runs through 2021 — but, based on other evidence, the trends may have eased but not reversed, O'Brien said.

Marion County lost nearly $490 million when people left during COVID

Meanwhile, many suburban and exurban counties saw an influx.

COVID-19

Migration out of Marion County between 2020 and 2021 caused a nearly $490 million drop in adjusted gross income — while surrounding counties saw a simultaneous increase.<ul><li>The biggest winners were Hancock County, which had a 4.4% or $76 million increase, and Boone County, which saw a 3.4% increase amounting to $69 million, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new analysis of tax data" data-vars-click-url="https://eig.org/high-earners-migration/" data-vars-content-id="ed3ecd48-51fc-4b16-b5df-5e600d744b6c" data-vars-headline="Marion County lost nearly $490 million when people left during COVID" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://eig.org/high-earners-migration/" target="_blank">new analysis of tax data</a> from the Economic Innovation Group, a nonpartisan think tank.</li></ul>

Emma Hurt

Featured stories

A quarter of Indy seniors are working past 65

Indiana abortions fell even before the ban went into effect

More than two-thirds of native Hoosiers stay in Indiana

New apartment construction in Indy bounces back

Marion County lost nearly $490 million when people left during COVID