Carmel and Westfield receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Carmel
Westfield
Opportunity
85 · Top 3%
vs86 · Top 2%
Growth
76 · Top 8%
vs88 · Top 1%
Climate
68 · Bottom 39%
vs68 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 30%
vs76 · Top 29%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs95 · Top 20%
Schools
86 · Top 6%
vs79 · Top 15%
Access
89 · Bottom 39%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs82 · Top 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Carmel | Westfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 101,651 | 54,677 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $141,505 | $122,789 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $73,549 | $61,257 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,071/sq mi | 1,675/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $486,800 | $425,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,712 | $1,667 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 79.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.4% | 59.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.9% | 3.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,015 | 2,157 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.0 | 39.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 43.6% | 54.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 40.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.09 | 17.13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 67.9% | 60.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 65.9% | 59.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 12.8% | 18.9% | 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.
Westfield
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Full profiles: Carmel, IN · Westfield, IN · How this is calculated: methodology