French Lick, IN

Tucked into the rolling hills of southern Indiana, French Lick is a small town of around 1,700 residents with a surprisingly grand history. It originally grew around natural mineral springs, developing into a famous nineteenth-century spa destination. Today, that legacy lives on through the French Lick Springs Hotel, which brings world-class golf courses, spas, and steady hospitality jobs to the valley. For newcomers, it offers an appealing balance of quiet rural living and resort-style amenities that most towns this size rarely have.

ATTRQuentin Melson / CC BY-SA 4.0

Beyond the hotel grounds, daily life revolves around a tight-knit community and easy access to the outdoors. The town is bordered by the Hoosier National Forest, offering miles of hiking and camping within minutes of your front door, with boating at Patoka Lake just down the road. Local kids attend Springs Valley schools, famously remembered as the home court of basketball legend Larry Bird. Between the vintage train excursions on the French Lick Scenic Railway and the peaceful surrounding countryside, it is a comfortable, scenic place to put down roots.