The Town FilesCarmel, Indiana
City in Hamilton County · population 99,757 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $486,800
- Household income
- $141,505
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 40.6
Carmel is a city of 99,757 people in Hamilton County, Indiana. The median home is worth $486,800, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more upscale than 100% of Indiana towns, better for young professionals than 98% of Indiana towns, more vibrant than 83% of Indiana towns.
How Carmel ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Carmel is worth $486,800, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $141,505, which is more affordable than 10% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,712 a month. 74.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carmel | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $486,800 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,712 | $888 |
| Median household income | $141,505 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 74.3% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Carmel
| People | Carmel | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.7% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.4% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.9% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.1% | — |
| Work from home | 27.4% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Carmel
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 18.8°F. About 44.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.3 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carmel since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 22, 1992 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 131 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 2, 2009.
Severe weather in Hamilton County since 1996
Hamilton County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2026 | Flood | DR-4933: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Hamilton County
Hamilton County had 163,937 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $74,787 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Carmel itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Carmel
17 public schools with 16,741 students, about 16.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carmel High School | 9-12 | 5,200 | 16.9 |
| Clay Middle School | 6-8 | 1,395 | 17.4 |
| Creekside Middle School | 6-8 | 1,394 | 17.9 |
| Carmel Middle School | 6-8 | 1,070 | 14.5 |
| Cherry Tree Elementary School | PK-5 | 711 | 16.2 |
| Prairie Trace Elementary School | K-5 | 705 | 16.4 |
| Clay Center Elementary School | PK-5 | 689 | 14.4 |
| Carmel Elementary School | K-5 | 682 | 14.8 |
| Smoky Row Elementary School | PK-5 | 659 | 16.9 |
| Forest Dale Elementary School | PK-5 | 653 | 14.2 |
| College Wood Elementary School | K-5 | 635 | 17.2 |
| Woodbrook Elementary School | K-5 | 618 | 14.0 |
Towns near Carmel
- Westfield, IN4.9 mi · 46,410 people · home $425,700
- Noblesville, IN9.0 mi · 69,604 people · home $349,700
- Zionsville, IN9.4 mi · 30,603 people · home $587,800
- Fishers, IN9.5 mi · 98,977 people · home $391,000
- Lawrence, IN10.9 mi · 49,370 people · home $230,100
- Whitestown, IN11.8 mi · 10,178 people · home $373,500
- Cicero, IN12.4 mi · 5,301 people · home $282,100
- Speedway, IN13.0 mi · 13,952 people · home $228,600
Carmel questions
Is Carmel, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carmel scores better for retirees than 55% of Indiana towns and quieter than 17%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.6).
How much does a house cost in Carmel?
The median owner-occupied home in Carmel is valued at $486,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $141,505, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,712 a month.
What is the weather like in Carmel?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 18.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.4 inches of precipitation a year and 20.3 inches of snow.
Does Carmel get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carmel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 22, 1992. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)