Ever feel like you're going around in circles? With eighty roundabouts in town, Carmel is the unofficial U.S. capital of traffic circles.
Carmel, Indiana, is an artistic, bicycle-friendly, white collar town just north of Indianapolis. With a population of just over 79,000, this mid-sized city has been selected not once but twice in recent years as the Best Place to Live in America by CNN Money Magazine. With a growing Arts and Design District and mixed use retail and residential properties in City Center, Carmel is an appealing city.
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Living in Carmel
Feeling Arty?
If youre a fan of artistic endeavor, or an artist yourself, youll feel right at home in Carmel. Just a short drive from the urban mecca of Indianapolis, Carmel is a destination in its own right with its Art and Design District and City Center, its award-winning massive Carmel Clay Public Library, and the Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau. The art district area hosts a collection of galleries, cafes, restaurants, and boutique shops. Throughout the district, youll find massive and life-like sculptures created by renowned sculptor John Seward Johnson II, who bears the sobriquet "The Normal Rockwell of American Sculpture."
The District hosts several major events. One major draw is the Carmel Artomobilia Collector Car Show, which features a huge display of classic and exotic cars, as well as art works inspired by cars. Every fall, the Carmel International Arts Festival brings together artists, music, and dance from around the world, as well as a childrens activity center with hands-on art.
Education and Industry
The artistic bent of the town is matched by its business community. The town’s Meridian Corridor contains office space for more than forty corporations, including Pearson Education, Delta Faucet, and ITT Tech. With many residents employed within the city, commute times are under thirty minutes city wide.
Award Winner
Along with Carmels selection as the ### 1 place to live in the U.S. by CNNs Money Magazine in 2012, the town's Arbor Day program received the International Society of Arboriculture’s Gold Leaf Award. An Engineering Excellent Award issued by the American Council of Engineering Excellence and a Climate Protection Award given by the U.S. Conference of Mayors are just a few of the other citations the city has received. In additions, it’s received the Bronze Level designation by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bicycle Friendly Community.
Farm to Table
One of the largest in Indiana, The Carmel Farmers Market is held from May to October, and is well stocked with locally sourced produce and meats.Small cafes and eclectic restaurants dominate the food scene, offering a distinctive local outlook on healthy eating.
Fitness First
The Carmel Monon Center keeps you fit even when winter weather puts a chill in the air. An indoor lap pool, a play pool with indoor water slides, and an indoor running track are all a part of this structure in Carmel’s Central Park. Outdoors, a massive outdoor water park includes a lazy river and a childrens pool.And Central Park isnt the only green space in town. The Popular Flowing Well Park has its own natural artesian well - drink up!
Find some peace and tranquility at the Japanese Garden, dedicated to the 15th anniversary of Carmel’s relationship with its sister city, Kawachinagano, Japan. Enjoy a cup of green tea in the pretty tea gazebo.
The Monon Trail bicycle trail runs straight through Carmel to the neighboring community of Sheriden. Shaded and scenic, the towns bike trails are well used, even in the wintertime.
Carmel City Center
The heart of the city is a new mixed use development project where the Center for the Performing Arts, restaurants, apartment complexes, restaurants, retail shops and corporations are positioned side by side. Looking for a vibrant, artistic community? Then start here. You may also want to start your rental search here, if youre looking for a dynamic, all-in-one residence, with easy access to shopping, entertainment, and housing all in one spot. The performing arts center houses a theater and concert stage, and features national and touring acts as well as community-based theatrical performances.
Nearby youll find the heart of Old Town Carmel in the Arts and Design District with its specialty shows, galleries, and designers. You’ll love the architecture, and the feeling of walkability here.
Clay Terrace retail center offers great shopping from national chains and specialty retail shops, including Whole Foods and Dicks Sporting Goods.
Rental Tips for Moving to Carmel
Allow plenty of time for your apartment search in Carmel. As the eighth largest Indiana community, it is very popular. You’ll find three bedroom homes for rent, and apartment homes of all types, but you’ll have to look for them.
A white collar town with appeal to families and singles alike, this is a well educated community with many occupants working in sales, management, and the arts.If you like a location with well defined spring, summer, fall and winter seasons, Carmel will appeal; with social activities and local sports teams, Carmel is a good place to stay a while.
Neighborhoods in Carmel
Northwood Hills: Suburban-feeling with medium-sized homes and town homes mostly built between 1970 and the present. A preponderance of couples with college degrees reside here in this community. Many residents have ethnic roots in Germany and Asia.
N Meridian St / W Main St: Suburban and middle income, here youll find modern properties ranging from apartment complexes and high rises to single family homes. Your apartment search will turn up a number of alternatives here. The residents range from families to singles, and this community is known for being welcoming to senior citizens. It’s an excellent retirement community, with walkable neighborhoods. Residents work in management, sales and service, and tech support occupations.
Orchard Park / Chesterton: Small apartment complexes and medium-sized three bedroom homes for rent dominate this community. Some of the homes here are more historic than in other Carmel communities, with older buildings dating from 1940 onward. Sales, professional jobs, and manufacturing occupations are all found in this community. You’ll find many residents with German, Irish, and Asian ancestry here.
Home Crest/Echo Crest: A mix of residential offerings from apartments to homes, with some properties dating from 1940, and others more modern, make up this community. While the community holds a mix of workers in all professions, some 20% work in food service positions.
