Carmel, IN vs Evansville, IN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Carmel, IN and Evansville, IN spend within 13.3% of each other per resident — $16,389 versus $14,467 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Evansville, IN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 69/100 (grade B) against 56/100 (grade C) for Carmel, IN — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Carmel, IN carries the lighter load at $846 per resident versus $4,624 for Evansville, IN. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Carmel, IN at $1,484 per resident and in Evansville, IN at $1,054.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Carmel, IN at 100% of total revenue, whereas Evansville, IN relies most on other revenue at 10%.
Summary
Carmel spends 13.3% more per capita than Evansville ($1,922/person difference). Evansville, IN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 69/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $109 |
| Sales Tax | $1,264 | $395 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $578 |
| Intergovernmental | $90,764 | $2,427 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,500 | $361 |
| Other | $2,404 | $6,966 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $166 | $349 |
| Highways & Roads | $354 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $86 |
| Public Welfare | $1,885 | $234 |
| Hospitals | $1,121 | $308 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,484 | $1,054 |
| Housing | $2,696 | $2,835 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $79 |
| Utilities | $1,251 | $5,299 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $553 |
| Other | $7,432 | $3,669 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.