Residential comparison · 13 facts
Carmel, IN vs Lawrence, IN
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Carmel needs about $77,500 in Lawrence to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Lawrence, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $92,500 in Carmel.
A few differences
- Carmel is higher on median household income ($141,505 vs $74,022).
- Lawrence is lower on cost of living index (83 vs 106).
- Lawrence is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,097/mo vs $1,719/mo).
Carmel vs Lawrence · facet by facet
| Facet | Carmel, IN | Lawrence, IN |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $486,800 | $230,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,719/mo | $1,097/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.83% | 0.83% |
| State & local income tax | 4.15% | 4.75% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 106 | 83 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $141,505 | $74,022 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Crime index | 45/100 | 45/100 |
| School rating | 5.8/10 | 5.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days | 190 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Carmel, IN · Lawrence, IN
Questions & answers
- Is Carmel cheaper than Lawrence?
- Lawrence has the lower day-to-day cost index (83 vs 106 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Lawrence equals $85,000 in Carmel?
- A household earning $85,000 in Carmel needs about $77,500 in Lawrence to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Lawrence lifestyle costs about $92,500 in Carmel.