Indiana

Indiana led U.S. in February foreclosure rates, Indy among worst metros

Published

4 days ago

March 20, 2026

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Indiana led U.S. in February foreclosure rates, Indy among worst metros

Indiana’s foreclosure filing rate was worst in the nation last month, with two of the state’s metros struggling most.
Rising property taxes and insurance costs have inflated monthly payments.
Gov. Mike Braun and top Republicans say reforms to property taxes and housing will help.

At a time when “affordability” is the watchword in politics nationwide, recent data shows that Hoosiers faced more risk of losing their homes last month than residents in any other state.

Indiana reported the nation’s highest foreclosure filing rate in February, according to real estate data company ATTOM. What’s more, the Indianapolis region ranked among the worst-performing major metro areas.

The findings contradict the view of Indiana and the Indianapolis region as affordable havens where residents can more easily own homes. Experts say that home prices remain low compared with other states but have risen steeply since 2020, increasing property taxes. Upticks in other expenses like homeowners’ insurance and utilities, along with stagnant wage growth, have put an increasing number of Hoosiers at risk of losing their homes.

“This is a bad look for us in general, and it does indicate that our affordability problem is kind of reaching a crisis,” said Sara Coers, associate director of the Indiana University Center for Real Estate Studies. “We have a lower natural ceiling on what we can afford because of the wages that we receive here.”

What Indiana foreclosure data shows

Last month, about one in every 1,600 housing units in Indiana had a foreclosure filing, which means lenders took legal action against a homeowner who failed to keep up with their monthly mortgage payments. That foreclosure filing rate was the worst in the nation and more than twice as high as the average U.S. rate, the data shows.

The situation is even worse in the Indianapolis metropolitan area, which landed at No. 3 among metros with over 200,000 people with the worst foreclosure filing rates.

In the Indianapolis region, roughly one in every 1,250 housing units had a foreclosure filing — about three times worse than the national average. Evansville was the only other Indiana metro to make the list, right behind Indy at No. 4.

The problem isn’t new, but it’s growing worse. After falling between 2020 and 2021 thanks to pandemic relief programs, Indiana’s foreclosure filing rates have since rebounded. Throughout 2025, Indiana consistently ranked among the 10 worst states, according to the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana.

What’s behind the affordability crisis

Experts like Coers and FHCCI Executive Director Amy Nelson say the recent spike in foreclosure filings is in part due to rising escrow amounts — monthly payments for property expenses like taxes and homeowners’ insurance.

From 2019 to 2025, Indiana’s average escrow payment rose more than 50%, according to data analytics company Cotality. Today, about one-third of the money that Hoosier homeowners send to lenders each month goes toward those escrow costs, rather than paying down the home loan itself.

Beyond those property costs, residents are consistently spending more money on electricity bills, groceries and now gasoline, because of the war in Iran.

Higher costs especially strain residents in Indiana, a state where wage growth has lagged further behind the U.S. average in recent years, IU’s Indiana Business Research Center reports. More Hoosiers work lower-wage jobs in manufacturing or transportation than the national average, Coers said, and therefore they struggle to weather economic crises.

“Credit card usage is way up, savings rates are way down, and people just don’t have anything to back them up if things don’t go perfectly,” Coers said. “And if your expenses keep rising, but your wages are not keeping pace, it’s just really hard to stay abreast of your own household expenses.”

Households can often avoid foreclosure proceedings by being upfront about their financial struggles with lenders and finding alternate payment plans, said Trevor Meeks, chief consumer solutions officer for the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership. Instead of losing the home through foreclosure, they might be able to sell it to help cover housing costs while they recover.

He said he’s worked with local families who found themselves in financial crises after losing jobs or working reduced hours. He mentioned one single-parent household that was forced to choose between paying for their child’s college tuition and paying the mortgage.

“Our mortgage borrower made the very difficult decision to cover the cost of tuition themselves and jeopardized their ability to make the mortgage payment on time,” Meeks said.

How Indiana leaders are responding

Indiana lawmakers in both political parties have increasingly called affordability a top concern, including Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Braun.

In a March 19 interview with IndyStar, Braun noted that Hoosier homeowners will soon get some relief as his sweeping property tax reform law, Senate Enrolled Act 1, takes effect this year. Two-thirds of homeowners are projected to see a lower property tax bill in 2026 than last year, mainly through tax credits that will save households up to $300.

With policies like this year’s House Enrolled Act 1001, Republicans also took steps to reduce the cost and regulatory burden on homebuilders so they can build more housing to help ease prices, Braun said.

To tackle the other side of the issue and boost wages, the governor said he’s pushing the Indiana Economic Development Corp. to create 100,000 more high-wage jobs in agricultural and life sciences in Indiana over the next decade. He said the state will commit $1 billion to that goal.

Braun’s property tax reforms have been criticized for offering meager savings to homeowners while sapping revenue from local governments, likely forcing leaders to make cuts to services like education and infrastructure unless they impose higher income taxes.

But Braun said Indiana’s staggering foreclosure filing rate shows that households need relief and local governments need to make do with less.

“I think if local governments are complaining about revenues being too slim, well, that obviously would be something that’d be hard to square with the fact that property tax payers, specifically as it relates to homes, are having trouble making ends meet,” Braun said. “So that means something’s got to give in the middle.”

Email Indianapolis City Hall Reporter Jordan Smith at JTSmith@indystar.com. Follow him on X @jordantsmith09 and Bluesky @jordanaccidentally.bsky.social.

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Indiana

Does this diner serve the biggest pork tenderloin sandwich in Indiana?

Published

8 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

Does this diner serve the biggest pork tenderloin sandwich in Indiana?

EDINBURGH, Ind. (Amazing America) — Is a trip to the Hoosier state complete without digging into a massive Indiana-style breaded pork tenderloin sandwich?

The Edinburgh Diner, a classic small-town joint about 40 minutes south of Indianapolis, serves up a delicious version of the staple that just might be the biggest one out there.

Drawing locals and road trippers alike, the menu at this cozy diner focuses on classic comfort food, with burgers, fries & onion rings, hearty breakfast spreads, and hefty portions of homestyle dishes — all for an affordable price.

The Edinburgh Diner’s 16-ounce behemoth of a pork tenderloin sandwich costs just $9.99.

The recipe is pretty simple overall, but there is a whole culture built around the Indiana pork tenderloin sandwich.

A large piece of pork is pounded super thin, then dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Deep-fried until golden brown and crispy, it’s served on a basic hamburger bun with toppings like pickles, onions, mustard, or mayo.

The thing the otherwise no-frills sandwich iconic is the pork cutlet being way bigger than the bun, hanging over the edge dramatically. Locals say that if the tenderloin fits inside the bun, it’s not done right.

A crispy, salty exterior, tender pork, a soft bun and tangy toppings combine to form a simple yet beloved, satisfying Midwest meal.

Inspired by European schnitzel brought to the Midwest by German immigrants, the sandwich made its Indiana debut at Nick’s Kitchen in Huntington in the early 1900s. Over time it skyrocketed in popularity, becoming what many call Indiana’s unofficial signature dish.

It’s not just a sandwich. It’s a slice of Midwestern food culture. The debate over who makes the best one might never be settled, but until then, we are more than happy to try any and every version of this scrumptious dish — for research, of course.

The Edinburgh Diner is located at 413 S Eisenhower Dr, Edinburgh, Indiana 46124. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed on Mondays.

We know there are plenty of other stories of unique landmarks and cultural experiences in all corners of the USA, and we’re making it our mission to find and highlight them. If you know of one, we’d love to hear about it. Send a DM to @amazingamericatv on Instagram!

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Indiana

New judge lifts order blocking absentee ballots in Indiana Senate primary

Published

20 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

New judge lifts order blocking absentee ballots in Indiana Senate primary

(INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — A special judge on Friday lifted an order blocking officials in three western Indiana counties from mailing absentee ballots in a Republican primary where President Donald Trump has endorsed a challenger to state Sen. Greg Goode.

Putnam County Superior Court Judge Charles Bridges took the step the same day he took over the dispute involving whether one of two women with the last name Wilson who filed to run against Goode in the primary should be removed from the primary ballot because of a 2010 criminal conviction.

The original judge on Wednesday had ordered the county clerks in Vigo, Clay and Sullivan counties to hold off on distributing absentee ballots involving the Republican Senate District 38 race.

Under state law, county election offices must start mailing requested absentee ballots on Saturday ahead of the May 5 primary.

Friday’s order from Bridges said that delaying those ballots would violate federal law and that the county court couldn’t prevent the clerks “from fulfilling their constitutional duties regarding the mailing of absentee ballots.”

Alexandra Wilson’s attorney argued before the Indiana Election Commission last month that she remained eligible since her 2010 guilty plea to a low-level Class D felony charge of resisting law enforcement at the age of 19 was accepted by a judge as a Class A misdemeanor.

The dispute has gained attention because of its possible impact on the campaign prospects of Brenda Wilson, a Vigo County Council member who has Trump’s endorsement against Goode following the senator’s December vote against the Indiana congressional redistricting plan.

The four-member Election Commission split 2-2 during a hearing last month on the challenge to Alexandra Wilson’s candidacy, with the tie vote leaving her name on the ballot.

Bridges set a hearing for Tuesday to review the Election Commission’s actions.

Alexandra Wilson’s attorney, Samantha DeWester, argued in a court filing that blocking mailing of primary ballots would wrongly hurt her client’s “ability to campaign and effectively run for elected office.”

Attorney Jim Bopp, who is a top political ally of Gov. Mike Braun and is supporting Brenda Wilson, is pursuing the legal case against Alexandra Wilson.

Bopp said he would not fight to keep the initial absentee ballots from going out with Alexandra Wilson’s name included.

“The vast majority of ballots that are going to be cast are, of course, in the future, with early voting and in-person voting,” Bopp told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. “That’s the most important thing to get right.”

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Indiana

Indiana police increase patrols on 2 interstates for spring break

Published

1 day ago

March 22, 2026

Press Room

Indiana police increase patrols on 2 interstates for spring break

Indiana State Police will ramp up patrols along major roadways during spring break to “deter dangerous driving behavior,” the agency said in a news release March 22.

The effort is already underway. On March 20 and 21, ISP’s Lafayette District patrolled Interstate 65 and Interstate 70 for aggressive driving as students and families hit the roads for spring break travel.

The results, according to police, were 223 traffic stops, 25 calls for service, five crash investigations, five drug-related charges, three operating-while-intoxicated arrests, two reckless driving arrests, two suspended drivers and one vehicle pursuit.“These targeted patrols are about keeping Hoosiers and those traveling through our state safe,” Lt. Tom McKee, Lafayette district commander, said in a news release. “With increased traffic on our roadways, our troopers were out proactively addressing those violations to reduce crashes and keep our roadways safe.”

ISP did not say how long the increased patrols will continue.Contact breaking politics reporter Marissa Meador at mmeador@indystar.com or find her on X at @marissa_meador.

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