Study: Carmel stakes claim to ‘Best Small City in America’; nearby neighbors come close

By SCOTT SANDER
WISH-TV | wishtv.com

A new study of America’s small cities places multiple Indiana communities among the best – and worst – in the nation.

In its survey, WalletHub says it looked at the affordability, economy, education and health, quality of life, and safety of cities with between 25,000 and 100,000 people.

The end result: Carmel is No. 1.

In terms of economic health, WalletHub applauded Carmel’s unemployment rate of 3 percent, which is one of the lowest rates in the country. The city also has a median household income of $133,000, among the top 10 percent in the nation. The average credit score in Carmel is 775, the 18th-best in America.

Health and safety numbers are similarly strong.

The study also gives high rankings for the communities that border Carmel: Fishers (No. 4), Westfield (No. 10), Noblesville (No. 14) and Zionsville (No. 21) are all in the Top 25.

Brownsburg fares well, too, landing at 40th place.

The other end of the study delivers a stinging blow to several other Indiana communities, largely along the perimeters of the state.

Gary barely avoids last place, landing at 1,304th out of 1,318 cities. There is a brutal consistency to Gary’s numbers: It’s one of the only locations in the survey to place in the bottom 300 of in all measured categories.

Gary’s northeast Indiana neighbors, East Chicago and Hammond, are also in the bottom 5 percent overall.

Richmond, Hammond, Muncie, Terre Haute, Anderson, Merrillville, and Hobart are all in the bottom 20 percent.

For full results, click here.

This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/local-news/study-carmel-stakes-claim-to-best-small-city-in-america-nearby-neighbors-come-close.