Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carmel, IN
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 Carmel leads 13 of 20 categories
Carmel
Indiana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$132,859 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
17
Population
99,453 ✓ Larger
Palm Coast
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$68,824
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
91,082
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carmel, IN
Pros
Households earn $64,035 more per year on average
More college-educated — 73.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (66.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (2.6%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Coast
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $425,900
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Homes cost $143k less ($283,300 vs $425,900)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 35°F
Cons
Median income trails Carmel by $64,035/yr
Higher unemployment (4.1% vs 2.6%)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Carmel
Higher rents — median is $1,621/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Carmel
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Carmel
Median Income
$64,035
$132,859 vs $68,824/yr
Carmel
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
2.6% vs 4.1% unemployment
Palm Coast
Median Home Value
$143k less
$283,300 vs $425,900
Palm Coast
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 87.8°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carmel, IN | Palm Coast, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper | 104.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $425,900⚠ High | $283,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,499⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,621⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,859 ✓ Higher | $68,824 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 4.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 28.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 13.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 26 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.7% ✓ Higher | 26.4% |
| High School or Higher | 98.1% ✓ Higher | 91.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carmel Clay Schools | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 87.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.2" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,453 ✓ Larger | 91,082 |
| Median Age | 40.6 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.6% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 14.7% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carmel's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Palm Coast's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Carmel is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Carmel leads 13 of 20 categories. Carmel wins 13 and Palm Coast wins 7. 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 Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,900 vs $283,300 median home), income ($132,859 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carmel, IN and Palm Coast, FL are about 772 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.