Bloomington, IN vs Carmel, IN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Carmel, IN and Bloomington, IN spend within 5.5% of each other per resident — $16,389 versus $15,529 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Bloomington, IN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 75/100 (grade B) against 56/100 (grade C) for Carmel, IN — a 19-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Bloomington, IN carries the lighter load at $356 per resident versus $846 for Carmel, IN. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Bloomington, IN at $1,294 per resident and in Carmel, IN at $1,484.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Bloomington, IN at 15% of total revenue, whereas Carmel, IN relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Carmel spends 5.3% more per capita than Bloomington ($860/person difference). Bloomington, IN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 75/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $364 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $885 | $1,264 |
| Income Tax | $227 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,245 | $90,764 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,522 | $5,500 |
| Other | $3,643 | $2,404 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $183 | $166 |
| Highways & Roads | $116 | $354 |
| Public Welfare | $759 | $1,885 |
| Hospitals | $362 | $1,121 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,294 | $1,484 |
| Housing | $1,661 | $2,696 |
| Utilities | $1,857 | $1,251 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,179 | $0 |
| Other | $8,118 | $7,432 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.