Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carmel, IN
VS
Compton, CA
🏆 Carmel leads 18 of 23 categories
Carmel
Indiana
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$132,859 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
17 ✓ Safer
Population
99,453 ✓ Larger
Compton
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$69,728
Violent Crime Index
335⚠ High
Population
94,822
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carmel, IN
Pros
Households earn $63,131 more per year on average
95% less violent crime than Compton
More college-educated — 73.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.3 pts lower (2.6%)
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Compton
Violent crime is well below the national average (66.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Compton, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 35°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 84°F
Cons
Median income trails Carmel by $63,131/yr
Violent crime (1271.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Carmel
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Carmel
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Carmel
Median Income
$63,131
$132,859 vs $69,728/yr
Carmel
Violent Crime
95% lower
66.0 vs 1271.7 per 100k
Carmel
Median Home Value
$64k less
$425,900 vs $489,400
Carmel
Unemployment
5.3 pp lower
2.6% vs 7.9% unemployment
Carmel
Summer Heat
7.2°F warmer
July avg high 84.4°F vs 77.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carmel, IN | Compton, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $425,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $489,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,499⚠ High | $1,464⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,859 ✓ Higher | $69,728 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 7.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 30.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 3.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 26 ✓ Safer | 261⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 335⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 150⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | C (77) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.7% ✓ Higher | 10.4% |
| High School or Higher | 98.1% ✓ Higher | 63.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carmel Clay Schools | Compton Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 67.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F ✓ Warmer | 77.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.2" | 11.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,453 ✓ Larger | 94,822 |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.6% ✓ Higher | 57.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | 27.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.7% ✓ More | 10.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carmel's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Compton's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Carmel is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carmel leads 18 of 23 categories. Carmel wins 18 and Compton wins 5. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Carmel to Compton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,900 vs $489,400 median home), income ($132,859 vs $69,728), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carmel, IN and Compton, CA are about 1,810 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.