Hammond, IN vs Carmel, IN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Hammond, IN spends 57% more per resident than Carmel, IN: $25,779 against $16,389. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Hammond, IN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 67/100 (grade B) against 56/100 (grade C) for Carmel, IN — a 11-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Hammond, IN carries the lighter load at $129 per resident versus $846 for Carmel, IN. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Hammond, IN at $823 per resident and in Carmel, IN at $1,484.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Hammond, IN and 100% in Carmel, IN.
Summary
Hammond spends 57.3% more per capita than Carmel ($9,390/person difference). Hammond, IN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 67/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $5 | $1,264 |
| Intergovernmental | $34,733 | $90,764 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,504 | $5,500 |
| Other | $8,679 | $2,404 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $789 | $166 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $354 |
| Public Welfare | $1,360 | $1,885 |
| Hospitals | $159 | $1,121 |
| Parks & Recreation | $823 | $1,484 |
| Housing | $3,937 | $2,696 |
| Utilities | $2,592 | $1,251 |
| Other | $16,119 | $7,432 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.