Local Life: East Central Indiana Resident Shares Details About Living and Working in Connersville
Get the scoop on what it’s like living and working in Connersville from 33-year-old resident Alexandra Pflug.
About equidistant from Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Dayton is Connersville, one of Indiana’s oldest cities that is home to just over 13,300 people. While known for its historic Longwood Covered Bridge, tenderloin sandwiches and friendly community, it’s also known for offering an enviable quality of life – and at a fair price. To get the scoop on what it’s like living and working in Connersville, we sat down Alexandra Pflug, a 33-year-old who grew up in the community, moved out of the area for college, relocated with her husband to Michigan for a spell and later another part of Indiana before moving back to Connersville in 2020. Today, she serves as the executive director of the Fayette Community Foundation, which works to connect donors and nonprofit agencies to improve the quality of life in the community.
In This Article
What made you want to move back to Connersville?
Most of our family is here. We have two young children, so that was a big factor. And I had heard that this position was opening up, as well, and I knew that I would be very interested in it. I knew if I had any chance of getting that job, I would definitely need and want to be back in my community.
What is the community environment like?
We have an amazing downtown – we’re so lucky. There’s room for improvement and development, for sure – some organizations have been doing that. We have a couple of great buildings that have been updated. But in terms of people, it is a common thing to see a person waving as they pass you in a car, even if you don’t know who they are. And if you don’t know a person’s name, you’ve probably seen them, so it feels like you’re kind of around “known strangers.”
How affordable was it to buy a home in this community?
Our house was between $150,000 and $200,000. It’s unbelievably affordable. I mean our house is 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and over 4,000 square feet. We’ve lived in other places – never major cities – but in places where it’s common for a house of our size to have gone for $400,000+.
What is your family’s favorite dining spot?
One of our favorite local places is Pizza King. Our Pizza King is very interesting. It has Mexican food, too. It’s a local favorite. And I think the last time we ordered from there we paid about $35.
Do you have any local coffee shops you like to go to?
We do. We have a really cute coffee shop called Brian’s Bistro, and it’s right down our main street on Central Avenue. There’s a Jack’s Donuts, and they have really fun and tasty coffee drinks, too. You’re probably going to spend like $5 for a large specialty drink (if you go, make sure to try Alexandra’s favorite – a jelly donut latte).
What is your family’s favorite thing to do for entertainment?
We have a really great public park – Roberts Park – and it’s really large for a small town like ours. It’s free, so that’s one of our favorite things to do.
How would you describe the overall cost of living?
Having lived outside of the community, I feel decently confident that our cost of living is pretty darn good. To me, it feels affordable when it comes to entertainment. Housing costs have increased, so everybody is sort of feeling that pinch, but (prices) are still pretty low compared even to communities 30 minutes away.
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