Overview
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Carmel, IN is an affluent suburb just 22 miles north of Indianapolis. The first residents were the Delaware Indians, and then the Quakers arrived in the 1830's. This area was originally called Bethelehem. In 1846, they changed the name because another town with the name Bethlehem had registered with the post office. About 53,000 people live here with a median income of $94,000. The estimated median value of all homes in 2007 was $254,000. In terms of demographics, 91% are white, and all other groups are less than 2% each.
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I lived in Carmel for 2 years and it was a very nice place. I stayed in North Haven Appartments and had a great experience there. Only advice I have is know what your looking for (for me it was a safe, affordable place that was centeral to the city) and research until you find it.
Carmel is an area that I was slightly skeptical about in the beginning, but once I moved was very impressed by all it has to offer. Not only do I enjoy the benefits of so much variety within ten minutes, the area is well-positioned for commuting to other areas of Indianapolis very easily. There are so many shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues within two miles that I rarely have to leave Carmel, and its proximity to Castleton expands the number of possibilities exponentially. It's a fantastic way to be close to a multitude of recreating, yet still be slightly removed fromt he hustle-bustle of city life.
Carmel is a clean organzied city that seems to be weathering the recession storm fairly well. The unemployment rate is less than the national average, and home values have not fallen nearly as low as many cities. Apartments are little higher than other places in the state, but not by much. Schools are good and the crime is very low. Money Magazine has even listed it as one of the best small cities in terms of quality of life. The city has recently invested heavily into An Art and Design District. It's a mixed use area with restaurants, galleries, residences, and retail shops. It's quite impressive. It's not fully completed. A performing arts center, more parks, and more will be added to the area. They also have Monon Trail, a bike trail through town and great water park and fitness center. The town lacks diversity, racially and economically. They don't have any real public transportion options. But overall it's a great place to live in terms of beauty, economy, and some progressive policies.
There are plenty of things to do in and around Carmel. You can find small boutique shops and also large chain shopping, same goes for restaurants. A quick drive to downtown Indpls provides great opportunities to attend sporting events and muesums. If you have children there are places for indoor ice skating, rock wall climbing, swimming (at the Monon Center indoor and outdoor aquatics, basketball etc...),and Conner Prairie is only 10 minutes away. You can walk and ride bikes on the Monon Trail which goes from downtown Indpls to 161st Street. (Stop for ice cream at Bub's Burgers on The Monon and Main Street!) The Downtown Arts & Design district routinely hosts art fairs, jazz concerts, and other gatherings downtown and the farmer's market and free summer concerts take place just south of downtown near the gazebo. There are an abundance of City Parks with a variety of activities offered seasonally.
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