Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carmel, IN
VS
Killeen, TX
🏆 Carmel leads 13 of 23 categories
Carmel
Indiana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6
Median Household Income
$132,859 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
17 ✓ Safer
Population
99,453
Killeen
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,086
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High
Population
153,708 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carmel, IN
Pros
Households earn $75,773 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 8.3 pts lower (2.6%)
87% less violent crime than Killeen
More college-educated — 73.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (66.0 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $425,900
Higher rents — median is $1,499/mo
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Killeen
Killeen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $251k less ($175,400 vs $425,900)
Rent averages $415/mo less ($1,084 vs $1,499)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 35°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.8)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Carmel
Cons
Median income trails Carmel by $75,773/yr
Violent crime (527.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (10.9% vs 2.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Carmel
Median Income
$75,773
$132,859 vs $57,086/yr
Carmel
Violent Crime
87% lower
66.0 vs 527.6 per 100k
Carmel
Unemployment
8.3 pp lower
2.6% vs 10.9% unemployment
Killeen
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 91.8 vs 94.6 (100 = US avg)
Killeen
Median Home Value
$251k less
$175,400 vs $425,900
Killeen
Summer Heat
11.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.7°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carmel, IN | Killeen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 | 91.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $425,900⚠ High | $175,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,499⚠ High | $1,084 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,859 ✓ Higher | $57,086 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 10.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 26 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 66 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.7% ✓ Higher | 22.1% |
| High School or Higher | 98.1% ✓ Higher | 91.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carmel Clay Schools | KILLEEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 59.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 95.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.2" | 36.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,453 | 153,708 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 29.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.6% ✓ Higher | 46.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | 29.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.7% ✓ More | 7.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carmel's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Killeen's 91.8 (US average = 100).
Killeen is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carmel leads 13 of 23 categories. Carmel wins 13 and Killeen wins 10. 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 Killeen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,900 vs $175,400 median home), income ($132,859 vs $57,086), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carmel, IN and Killeen, TX are about 894 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.