South Bend, IN vs Carmel, IN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
South Bend, IN outspends Carmel, IN by a wide margin per resident — $35,719 versus $16,389, a 118% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Carmel, IN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 56/100 (grade C) against 48/100 (grade D) for South Bend, IN — a 8-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, South Bend, IN carries the lighter load at $288 per resident versus $846 for Carmel, IN. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: South Bend, IN leads with fire protection at $2,100 per resident, while Carmel, IN leads with parks and recreation at $1,484.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in South Bend, IN and 100% in Carmel, IN.
Summary
South Bend spends 117.9% more per capita than Carmel ($19,330/person difference). Carmel, IN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 56/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $759 | $1,264 |
| Income Tax | $955 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $18,281 | $90,764 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,775 | $5,500 |
| Other | $6,625 | $2,404 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $2,100 | $166 |
| Highways & Roads | $2 | $354 |
| Public Welfare | $1,509 | $1,885 |
| Hospitals | $800 | $1,121 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,973 | $1,484 |
| Housing | $2,520 | $2,696 |
| Sewerage | $348 | $0 |
| Utilities | $1,910 | $1,251 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,088 | $0 |
| Other | $23,468 | $7,432 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.