7 Troubling Facts About Indiana You Would Be Better Off Not Knowing

One great part about life in Indiana is that Hoosiers are always so proud of their roots and their state’s history. However, despite all the good we experience here in Indiana, there are definitely some improvements that could be made. Here are nine rather pessimistic facts regarding Indiana - but don't let these fool you into thinking the Hoosier State isn't worth visiting (or moving to)! None of these facts are judgments about the character or culture of the state - we love Indiana! But, unfortunately, there will always be some bad facts about Indiana we can't simply ignore:

1. There's a 21% pay gap between women and men.

That’s right - sadly, women in Indiana make, on average, only 72% of what their male counterparts make, per the data in a 2022 survey. Interestingly, this is still lower than the national average, which is typically right around 77% of what men tend to make.

2. We don't care about voting very much... for some reason.

In 2014, it was estimated that Indiana had the lowest voting turnout of all the states during midterm elections. Indiana’s voting turnout was only 28%, which is pretty disappointing. In 2020, just 14% of eligible voters came out, on average.

3. We’re the king! ...of meth. Yay. Ugh.

In 2013, Indiana was crowned the meth capital of the United States, with over 1800 meth busts that year. Not exactly what you want your state to be famous for. At least we're not New Mexico, because... you know. That Heisenberg guy.

4. Indiana ranks high in obesity.

Indiana is 10th in the country for obesity, with 65% of all residents suffering from being overweight or obese to some extent. This is a 13% increase since 1995.

Check out this video for more information:

5. We have a high number of smokers.

Only six states have higher numbers of smokers than Indiana, which makes for a growing concern for lung disease. That’s a pretty high number. In 2020, 19.4% of Indiana residents admitted to smoking. The national average hovers around 15.5%.

6. We're #1 for toxic releases in our water! Go Hoosiers!

A 2012 study showed Indiana scored first place for the most harmful and toxic releases into water streams. Yikes. Unfortunately, some places in Indiana give Flint, Michigan a run for its money.

7. We have low overall well-being scores.

Indiana was very notable, and not in a good way, for overall well-being in 2014, coming in 48th for the best overall well-being by state. That’s definitely not something to brag about, but it's something to mention in a list like this one.

Well, not exactly the best news, but knowing these facts is part of the battle, right? I think Hoosiers can help turn some of this around. What do you think?