INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — If you think you’ve read this before, you might be right: Hamilton County communities again dominate the newest version of an annual national survey – WalletHub places four of them in the top 20 of the “Best Small Cities in America.”
The list looks at 1,300 cities with no more than 100,000 people, weighing their relative quality of life and affordability. Categories vary widely, from crime rate to coffee shops.
Carmel tops the list, wearing the crown of “#1 in the Nation.”
“(This is) due in part to strong economic factors like one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, (which is) at 3.3%,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “On top of that, the median annual household income in Carmel is nearly $135,000, 125th-highest out of the more than 1,300 cities in our study.”
Lupo also lauds Carmel’s strong average credit scores, clocking in around 775, and the city’s commitment to health and safety.
Carmel’s nearest neighbor to the north is not far behind. Westfield ranks 5th in the survey – squeaking out bragging rights over Fishers at #6. Noblesville also adds to the county’s resume, landing at #19.
Boone and Montgomery counties both land a city in the Top 40, too; Zionsville checks in at #37, while Brownsburg follows closely behind at #40.
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