Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carmel, IN
VS
South Bend, IN
🏆 Carmel leads 15 of 23 categories
Carmel
Indiana
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6
Median Household Income
$132,859 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
17 ✓ Safer
Population
99,453
South Bend
Indiana
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,056
Violent Crime Index
254⚠ High
Population
103,084 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carmel, IN
Pros
Households earn $83,803 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than South Bend
More college-educated — 73.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (2.6%)
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 South Bend
South Bend, IN
Pros
Homes cost $312k less ($113,800 vs $425,900)
Rent averages $564/mo less ($935 vs $1,499)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Carmel
Cons
Median income trails Carmel by $83,803/yr
Violent crime (965.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 2.6%)
Snowy winters — about 65" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Carmel
Median Income
$83,803
$132,859 vs $49,056/yr
Carmel
Violent Crime
93% lower
66.0 vs 965.0 per 100k
Carmel
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
2.6% vs 5.5% unemployment
South Bend
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 94.6 (100 = US avg)
South Bend
Median Home Value
$312k less
$113,800 vs $425,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carmel, IN | South Bend, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $425,900⚠ High | $113,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,499⚠ High | $935 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,859 ✓ Higher | $49,056 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 26 ✓ Safer | 191⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 254⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.7% ✓ Higher | 28.8% |
| High School or Higher | 98.1% ✓ Higher | 87.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carmel Clay Schools | South Bend Community School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F ✓ Warmer | 31.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F ✓ Warmer | 83.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.2" | 40.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.3" ✓ Less | 64.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,453 | 103,084 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.6% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | 26.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.7% ✓ More | 13.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carmel's cost of living index is 94.6 vs South Bend's 91.4 (US average = 100).
South Bend is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carmel leads 15 of 23 categories. Carmel wins 15 and South Bend wins 8. 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 South Bend or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,900 vs $113,800 median home), income ($132,859 vs $49,056), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carmel, IN and South Bend, IN are about 118 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.