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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Carmel, IN

Population: 99,453 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

C
56/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$16,389
Total Revenue
$9.0B
Total Debt
$84.1M

Spending Breakdown

Other
45.4%$739.2M
Housing & Community Development
16.4%$268.1M
Public Welfare
11.5%$187.4M
Parks & Recreation
9.1%$147.6M
Utilities
7.6%$124.4M
Hospitals
6.8%$111.5M
Highways & Roads
2.2%$35.3M
Fire Protection
1.0%$16.5M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
1.4%$125.7M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$9.0B
Charges & Fees
6.1%$547.0M
Other
2.6%$239.1M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$166/person
Highways & Roads$354/person
Parks & Recreation$1,484/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)74/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$84.1M
Long-Term Debt$14.1M
Debt Per Capita$846
Cash & Securities$517.7M

Compare Cities

See how Carmel stacks up against another city.

vs Indianapolis city (balance), INvs Fort Wayne, INvs Evansville, IN
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Indiana

Indianapolis city (balance), IN

Pop. 882K

B
Total Spending
$40.6B
Per Capita
$46,045

Fort Wayne, IN

Pop. 265K

A
Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$10,590

Evansville, IN

Pop. 117K

B
Total Spending
$1.7B
Per Capita
$14,467

South Bend, IN

Pop. 103K

D
Total Spending
$3.7B
Per Capita
$35,719

Compare Carmel With

Indianapolis city (balance), IN

Spending: $46,045/person · Grade: B

Fort Wayne, IN

Spending: $10,590/person · Grade: A

Evansville, IN

Spending: $14,467/person · Grade: B

South Bend, IN

Spending: $35,719/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Carmel, IN spends $16,389 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.6B for a population of 99,453. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (56/100).

Carmel, IN has total expenditures of $1.6B and total revenue of $9.0B. The city carries $84.1M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Carmel, IN employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Carmel, IN has a Fiscal Health Score of C (56/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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