Carmel receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Carmel
Franklin
Opportunity
85 · Top 3%
vs72 · Top 18%
Growth
76 · Top 8%
vs76 · Top 8%
Climate
68 · Bottom 39%
vs68 · Bottom 43%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 30%
vs65 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
86 · Top 6%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
89 · Bottom 39%
vs92 · Top 50%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs60 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Carmel | Franklin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 101,651 | 26,168 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $141,505 | $82,380 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $73,549 | $37,366 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,071/sq mi | 1,671/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $486,800 | $231,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,712 | $1,186 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 65.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.4% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.9% | 11.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,015 | 266 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.0 | 10.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 43.6% | 23.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 43.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.09 | 16.41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 67.9% | 40.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 65.9% | 40.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 12.8% | 48.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Carmel
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Franklin
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Full profiles: Carmel, IN · Franklin, IN · How this is calculated: methodology