Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carmel, IN
VS
Springfield, IL
🏆 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
Springfield
Illinois
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,419
Violent Crime Index
237⚠ High
Population
114,214 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carmel, IN
Pros
Households earn $70,440 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than Springfield
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.0 pts lower (2.6%)
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 4% higher than Springfield
Springfield, IL
Pros
Homes cost $278k less ($147,700 vs $425,900)
Rent averages $586/mo less ($913 vs $1,499)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.5)
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Carmel
Cons
Median income trails Carmel by $70,440/yr
Violent crime (901.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4911.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 2.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Carmel
Median Income
$70,440
$132,859 vs $62,419/yr
Carmel
Violent Crime
93% lower
66.0 vs 901.2 per 100k
Carmel
Unemployment
4.0 pp lower
2.6% vs 6.6% unemployment
Springfield
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 90.5 vs 94.6 (100 = US avg)
Springfield
Median Home Value
$278k less
$147,700 vs $425,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carmel, IN | Springfield, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 | 90.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $425,900⚠ High | $147,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,499⚠ High | $913 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,859 ✓ Higher | $62,419 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 10.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 26 ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 237⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 234⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | A- (111) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.7% ✓ Higher | 34.7% |
| High School or Higher | 98.1% ✓ Higher | 92.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carmel Clay Schools | Springfield SD 186 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 35.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.2" | 40.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.3" ✓ Less | 21.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,453 | 114,214 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 40.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.6% ✓ Higher | 62.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 21.6% |
| Over 65 | 14.7% | 18.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carmel's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Springfield's 90.5 (US average = 100).
Springfield is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carmel leads 13 of 23 categories. Carmel wins 13 and Springfield 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 Springfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,900 vs $147,700 median home), income ($132,859 vs $62,419), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carmel, IN and Springfield, IL are about 186 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.