Population 87,359 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Carmel
Household size in Carmel
| Period | Carmel | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.75 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.63 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.66 | 2.63 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.70 | 2.59 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Carmel average 2.70 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Indianapolis area, where it has 2.59 people. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.75, as it has nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Carmel
| Period | Carmel | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.5 | 36.3 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 37.0 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.9 | 37.7 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.7 | 38.2 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +1.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Carmel is 41.7 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.5, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Carmel
| Period | Carmel | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 12.7% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 12.8% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 12.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 11.8% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.9% of households in Carmel, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people, only 11 have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Carmel
Renters in Carmel
| Period | Carmel | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.3% | 31.4% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.9% | 34.2% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.1% | 34.8% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.0% | 33.2% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +1.8 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Carmel own their homes; 26.0% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Just over three in ten owners (31.5%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 4.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Carmel
| Period | Carmel | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 11.2% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 10.6% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 9.6% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 8.0% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −3.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Carmel: just 5.5% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.1 points, as it has nationally. Carmel has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Indiana cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Carmel
| Period | Carmel | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1989 | 1978 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1990 | 1979 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1992 | 1980 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1995 | 1982 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Carmel is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1995, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1989 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the southeast has the oldest housing. Only 17 of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Carmel
| Period | Carmel | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,423 | $877 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,302 | $946 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,440 | $1,060 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,937 | $1,368 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$513 | +$492 | +$384 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Carmel costs $1,937 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $513 a month from 2006–10, a 36% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.4% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Carmel has the highest rents of any Indiana city with 5,000+ people.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Carmel
Bachelor's degrees in Carmel
| Period | Carmel | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.6% | 30.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 67.9% | 31.8% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 70.7% | 35.2% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 75.2% | 38.6% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.5 pts | +7.7 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Carmel is highly educated: about three-quarters of adults 25 and older (75.2%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 10.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Carmel has the highest share of college graduates of any Indiana city with 5,000+ people.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Carmel
| Period | Carmel | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.4% | 88.1% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.0% | 88.9% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.9% | 89.6% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.0% | 90.8% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +2.8 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Carmel: 98.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people, only two have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Carmel
| Period | Carmel | Indianapolis area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 7.9% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 9.0% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.4% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Carmel has been low: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Carmel compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carmel | 2.70 | 41.7 | 5.9% | 26.0% | 5.5% | 1995 | $1,937 | 75.2% | 98.0% | 2.6% |
| Westfield | 2.72 | 37.5 | 6.5% | 20.0% | 5.6% | 2008 | $1,806 | 62.6% | 97.6% | 2.6% |
| Williams Creek | 2.85 | 46.9 | 3.0% | 8.3% | 3.8% | 1957 | $2,313 | 83.5% | 100.0% | 3.9% |
| Meridian Hills | 2.53 | 50.3 | 3.5% | 6.1% | 2.5% | 1959 | $2,184 | 80.1% | 99.5% | 4.2% |
| Zionsville | 2.81 | 41.5 | 6.5% | 19.5% | 3.2% | 1998 | $1,917 | 74.5% | 98.4% | 1.8% |
| Noblesville | 2.67 | 37.9 | 9.9% | 26.4% | 5.8% | 1997 | $1,554 | 50.5% | 96.6% | 3.0% |
| Fishers | 2.81 | 38.5 | 7.5% | 26.0% | 5.9% | 2001 | $1,785 | 65.7% | 97.7% | 3.0% |
| Rocky Ripple | 2.07 | 41.4 | 9.7% | 21.4% | 14.1% | 1952 | $1,576 | 55.4% | 97.8% | 2.4% |
| Lamong | 2.43 | 41.1 | 5.0% | 28.0% | 14.3% | 2014 | $1,643 | 40.7% | 96.0% | 2.7% |
| Deming | 2.91 | 37.8 | 5.3% | 16.9% | 21.7% | 2008 | $1,188 | 51.3% | 94.9% | 6.1% |
| Big Springs | 2.76 | 41.4 | 2.5% | 12.0% | 5.7% | 1997 | $1,867 | 56.7% | 96.7% | 0.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Fort Mill, SC · Denver, CO · Douglasville, GA · Danbury, CT · Davenport, IA · Downey, CA · Corona, CA · Davie, FL · Denham Springs, LA · Denton, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Carmel. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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