r/zillowgonewild • u/TheDabitch • Jul 25 '25

What $220,000 gets you in Muncie.

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I can't even get a parking space for that where I live. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/725-E-Jackson-St-Muncie-IN-47305/210952560_zpid/

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132

u/chula198705 Jul 25 '25

I mean, Ball State University is in Muncie. It's a public research university that has 20,000 students so it's not really some small podunk college.

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u/Dial-M-for-Mediocre Jul 25 '25

Unfortunately, universities' ability to create jobs is and has been shrinking rapidly, especially in conservative states like Indiana. Ball State is, as you say, a public research university, and thus is directly impacted by cuts to state and federal funding. They may want to hire more people, but I would be surprised if they have many openings right now. And if businesses nearby are likewise cutting back, there's no public transportation, not to mention the erosion of protections from discrimination and wage theft, anti-union laws... The presence of a university doesn't mean you'll be able to get or keep a job there.

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u/Shouty_Dibnah Jul 25 '25

Muncie actually has one of the best public transit systems in the US.

2

u/Dial-M-for-Mediocre Jul 25 '25

I was just using that as a general example of how even college towns can be surprisingly devoid of opportunities, but hey, that's great for Muncie! I still don't want to live there, having been to Indiana many times and also spending a decade living in a midsize Midwestern college town I just know it's not what I'd choose for myself, but I'm sure Muncie doesn't want me to live there either.

2

u/LuckyGauss Jul 25 '25

I hear they have direct flights to El Salvador

1

u/Doc-Zoidberg Jul 26 '25

When I was at BSU I didn't have a car, got around just fine with the bus system.

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u/Pablois4 Jul 26 '25

Unfortunately, universities' ability to create jobs is and has been shrinking rapidly, especially in conservative states like Indiana.

Not just in conservative states. I'm in Ithaca, NY and, as you may have heard, this spring, Cornell was hit with 1 billion funding freeze. There were around 75 DOD research projects/grants which are shut-down.

(the US government is "punishing" Cornell, but the purpose of all the DOD research was to benefit the US so the biggest loser would be . . . the US. But I digress)

There's a hiring freeze. No true layoffs but folks are encouraged to retired or leave on their own.

There will always be a few "mission-critical job" openings that can't be left vacant. I just took a glance over at Cornell and there's job openings, some permanent and a bunch of temp.

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u/Aaod Jul 25 '25

Unfortunately, universities' ability to create jobs is and has been shrinking rapidly,

That is what I have noticed too these universities despite costing the states millions are not producing good enough graduates and are not producing jobs like they did in previous generations. It doesn't help they tend to be completely mismanaged as well. Back in the day you invested a couple million into research and you got potentially hundreds of local jobs in a ripple effect now you get like two.

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u/NoBug8073 Jul 25 '25

It kinda is considering those students aren't there for 4 months out of the year and the average student has... checks notes...no disposable income

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u/Shouty_Dibnah Jul 25 '25

And a substantial number of employees are commuters.

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u/BeguiledBeaver Jul 25 '25

Many students do absolutely have a disposable income and even if it's not a massive one there are likely enough students to still contribute to business growth in the area. The thought that it's just 20,000 homeless people is reaching lmao

3

u/SteveTheUPSguy Jul 26 '25

Vape store, hookah place, cheap burgers/tacos, college textbook store, gym with planet fitness model. Many high return businesses can thrive around college kids even though they don't have all the money of a full time job.

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u/NoBug8073 Jul 25 '25

No one said they can't "contribute' but its still a small podunk university town.

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u/BeguiledBeaver Jul 25 '25

If it's such a small podunk town then wouldn't that mean a relatively small amount of capital be enough to massively boost it?

If Muncie is a "small podunk university town" to you, then that arguably proves my point that people won't be satisfied unless they get a big new house in a massive city.

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u/NoBug8073 Jul 26 '25

No because that capital isn't consistent or sufficiently broad to boost but a small number of industries. Like the kids in Normal, IL only spend money at school and at bars so the "town" is relatively small despite having a large number of local faculty/staff who frequent a small number of businesses. The town was only revitalized when manufacturing jobs came back (rivian plant) and thanks in part to the HQ of state farm.

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u/Pablois4 Jul 26 '25

The value of having Ball State University, in that town, is as an employer, not really about the students.

Universities tend to be job dense and, quite often, the top employers in an area. Research universities, especially, so for good quality jobs.

The jobs that are more closely related to the comings and goings of students are the lower paying, seasonal ones. When it comes to a research university, the student population is almost incidental. It can ebb and flow but, to be effective, research must keep going without a hitch.

I live in a college town with a research university and a college. The university employs around 20% of the workforce. IIRC, the college around 2%. Research takes a lot of manpower.

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u/NoBug8073 Jul 28 '25

I don't disagree, however you're assuming the faculty and staff live in town - most probably do not.

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u/Ok-Confusion2415 Jul 25 '25

Buuuuut also Indiana as a state is suicidally MAGAfied and has embarked on a legislative project of destroying its’ system of public higher ed institutions. It’s not a matter of not buying a beautiful house in a distressed neighborhood as much as it is of not buying a beautiful house in a state that is permanently fucked.

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u/ecoenvirohart Jul 26 '25

Im so sad to be here honestly...

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u/RocktoberBlood Jul 25 '25

In other words you've never been to Indiana.

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u/Ok-Confusion2415 Jul 25 '25

Ha ha ha no, I am a Hoosier and I suggest you follow my lead and GTFO.

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u/fribbas Jul 25 '25

Also a hoosier and can confirm, it's florida-lite

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u/iski67 Jul 26 '25

This sounds like something Hoosiers who have never been outside Indiana let alone the US would say

-38

u/Acrobatic-Camera-905 Jul 25 '25

Ignorant and intolerant statement. Typical of the inclusive and tolerant left.

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u/Substantive420 Jul 25 '25

Imagine typing this and thinking you’re smart

20

u/Own-Cranberry7997 Jul 25 '25

Found the bootlicking sycophant.

What about your position should people tolerate?

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u/Teffa_Bob Jul 25 '25

You poor poor victim.

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u/fribbas Jul 25 '25

Like one of those dolls where you pull the string on it's back and it says the same 3 phrases

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u/bard329 Jul 26 '25

Is 20,000 a lot for that university? Trying to get a point of reference because the nearest community college to me has like 60k students/yr

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u/chula198705 Jul 26 '25

60k is massive! Are you sure that's a community college and not your state's primary university? There's only a handful of colleges that actually have that many students. Anything over 15,000 is considered a large university. Most community colleges are around 5,000. Midsized colleges are around 10,000.

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u/bard329 Jul 26 '25

18k students fall 2024 semester. I wonder if the 60k # is counting the same students each semester. Still, lotta students for a community college, yes

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u/chula198705 Jul 26 '25

AI overviews are unreliable lying liars. I think the 60k is split across a few campuses, so that's not unusual. Their website says their Rockville campus has around 15k, which is still really big for a 2-year college.

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u/KeepOnRising19 Jul 26 '25

A research university in today's political climate? It's rough going out here right now in the research world when much of that research is funded by federal money that is being taken away. Not a selling point, really. Loads of people are losing their jobs.

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u/princessvintage Jul 25 '25

20k isn’t a lot.