Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Carmel, IN

    Is Carmel a good place to live?

    Watch Carmel

    Carmel ranks #5 of 40 Indiana cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (72/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 1.1% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $455,500
    +6.9% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,607
    per month
    Household income
    $134,602
    median
    Unemployment
    2.7%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Carmel

    The median home value in Carmel is $455,500 and median rent is $1,607 a month, against a median household income of $134,602. Homes cost about 3.4× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Carmel crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Indiana the 2025 rate was 300 violent and 1,252 property crimes per 100,000 people — #35 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Carmel, IN

    Carmel has about 100,501 residents, 2.7% unemployment and 42% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Carmel with

    Carmel vs Indianapolis cityCarmel vs Fort WayneCarmel vs EvansvilleCarmel vs South BendCarmel vs FishersCarmel vs BloomingtonCarmel vs HammondCarmel vs Noblesville

    More: Where to move in Indiana · Best counties in Indiana

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report