Conveniently located just 15 miles north of downtown Indianapolis along US Highway 31, is the City of Carmel. Carmel is located in Hamilton County with easy access to major transportation, such as I-465, I-70, I-65, and I-69 making this a desirable area. Carmel is less than 180 miles from Cincinnati, Louisville, and Chicago. The Indianapolis International Airport is also a short 30 minute commute from Carmel.

Carmel, Indiana is one of the fastest growing communities in the nation having more than doubled its population in the last 20 years to more than 60,000 residents. Carmel has closely managed its growth to preserve the quality of life that so many people love. This is evident by its ranking in Money Magazine. Carmel was recently listed as one of the best places in the Midwest to live.

Carmel is well known for their award winning schools, expansive parks and recreation, low crime rates, award winning public library, and family oriented neighborhoods.

Carmel Clay Public Schools have received numerous awards and recognition for their achievements in education for the students. The district is comprised of eleven elementary schools which house grades kindergarten through fifth grade, three middle schools which are responsible for sixth through eighth grade, a freshman center for the ninth grade students, and one high school for the tenth through twelfth graders making the Carmel school system total enrollment over 14,000 students.

The Carmel Clay Schools District has had some incredible accomplishments between 2007-2008. Some of these compliments include the following:

• Thirty-six students at Carmel High School are named National Merit Finalists. This total represents 11% of those students honored in the State.
• Carmel Middle School is named a National Blue Ribbon School.
• Carmel and the Carmel Clay Schools are named one of the Best Communities for Music Education in the USA.
• Students at Woodbrook Elementary win the State Spell Bowl Championship.
• Cherry Tree Elementary earns the Healthy Hoosier School Gold Award.
• The Varsity Girls Swimming Team at Carmel High School wins the State Championship; continuing a string of 22 consecutive State Championships.
• Carmel High School student publications the Pinnacle (yearbook) and the HiLite (newspaper) are named All-American publications by the National Scholastic Press Association.
• College Wood Elementary students win the Science Bowl State Championship.
• A team of students from Carmel High School wins First Place in the National Economic Challenge.
• Twelve students from seven elementary schools in the Carmel Clay Schools earn the National Math Pentathlon Hall of Fame Award.
• The Varsity Football Team at Carmel High School wins the State Championship.
• The Siemens Award for Advanced Placement in science and math for State is earned by Carmel High School.
• The Mohawk Trails Elementary Knowledge Master Team earns the State Championship. The Marching Greyhounds take First Place honors at both the Atlanta and Indianapolis Super Regional Competitions for Bands of America.
• Students at West Clay Elementary earn the Math Bowl State Championship.
• The radio station at Carmel High School (WHJE) is named High School Radio Station of the Year.
• The Girls Varsity Basketball Team wins the State Championship; this marks the 100th State Championship won by Carmel High School throughout its history.

Carmel Clay Schools are both state and nationally recognized for the academic, extracurricular, and athletic excellence. The school district has developed a gifted and talented program for each of the schools. At the elementary level, this program is known as the “Challenge” program. It was developed to provide the appropriate higher level of academic rigor for the students who have been identified as gifted and talented in grades 2, 3, 4, and 5. In order to be placed in this program, new student must meet predetermined test scores. This is also required at the middle and high school levels.

The school district is also committed to identifying those students that may need additional help in order make sure that no child is “left behind”. This philosophy was adopted when the state adopted the No Child Left Behind program. All of the schools have different levels of courses that the students can be placed in, in accordance to their skill set. As a result, Carmel Clay Schools have some of the highest test scores in the state.

The Indiana Department of Education reports that on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score results, Carmel High School students scored an average of 575 on the math portion of the test, 67 points higher than the state average. On the verbal portion, Carmel students scored an average of 540, 61 points higher than the state average. These among other indicators demonstrate that Carmel Clay students are well-prepared throughout their educational careers for high scholastic achievement.

On average 89% of Carmel High School Students graduate and enroll in four-year colleges. Another 4% of the students enroll in two-year colleges or trade schools and 2% of the graduates were foreign exchange students returning to their own countries to pursue further education there, for a total of 95% of Carmel High School graduates continuing their education. This very reason is one of the driving factors why many families relocate to Carmel.

Following are all public schools in the Carmel Clay Schools system:

Elementary Schools

Carmel Elementary School 101 4th Ave SE Carmel, IN 46032 317-844-0168 Cherry Tree Elementary School 13989 Hazel Dell Rd. Carmel, IN 46033 317-846-3086 College Wood Elementary School 12415 Shelborne Road Carmel, IN 46032 733-6430 Prairie Trace Elementary School 14200 North River Road Carmel, IN 46033 317-571-7925 Forest Dale Elementary School 10721 Lakeshore Dr., W. Carmel, IN 46033 317-844-4948

Mohawk Trails Elementary School 4242 E. 126th Street Carmel, IN 46033 317-844-1158 Orchard Park Elementary School 10404 Orchard Park, S. Dr. Indianapolis, IN 46280 317-848-1918 Smoky Row Elementary School 900 W. 136th Street Carmel, IN 46032 317-571-4084 Towne Meadow Elementary School 10850 Towne Road Carmel, IN 46032 Phone: 317-733-2645 Fax: 317-733-2655 Woodbrook Elementary School 4311 E. 116th Street Carmel, IN 46033 317-846-4225

Middle Schools

Carmel Middle School 300 S. Guilford Rd. Carmel, IN 46032 317-846-7331

Creekside Middle School 3525 W. 126th Street Carmel, IN 46032 317-733-6420

Clay Middle School 5150 E. 126th Street Carmel, IN 46033 317-844-7251

High Schools

Carmel High School
520 E. Main Street
Carmel, IN 46032
317-846-7721

To view information on Independent and Private Schools, click here.

Carmel Arts and Design District – The City of Carmel recently revitalized downtown Carmel into an attractive area for people of all ages. Four gateways have been constructed to make the entrances for the Carmel Arts and Design District. The city has invested over $10 million in renovating Old Carmel with a new distinctive look including street lights, brick sidewalks, and signage that give the city a historic look full of charming character. As part of the revitalization, over 100 shops and restaurants including art galleries, antique dealers, furniture and interior design showrooms, boutiques, and an eclectic variety of other retail stores have been added to the district. There has also been a large number of townhomes that have been built in a central location in downtown Carmel.

In addition to the shops, the city is in the process of adding a $300 million Carmel City Center. This is a 2.3 million square feet project that will be comprised of high end multi-use development as well a 1,600-seat world class performing arts center and an outdoor amphitheatre.

Parks and Recreation – The Carmel Parks and Recreation is comprised of 14 parks consisting of more than 500 acres of athletic fields, playgrounds, picnic areas, fishing ponds, butterfly gardens, and walking/jogging areas. There are over 10 miles of walking trails and paths open for the public’s enjoyment. The Monon Trail is a 5.2 mile long trail that runs throughout Carmel and connects to the Indianapolis Monon Greenway. Enjoy the shops and restaurants located along the trail. The Monon Center is a large fitness and aquatics center open for the residents of Carmel. In this center, members enjoy the benefits of state of the art fitness equipment, three regulation basketball courts, childcare facilities, indoor lap pool featuring six swim lanes, indoor water slides, zero depth outdoor activity pool, water slides, lazy river, a lap pool, children’s pool, and diving pool.

Events and Attractions – Carmel offers numerous activities for the residents throughout the year. The Carmel International Arts Festival attracts a variety of artists every September along with live entertainment, both local and international food, children’s activities and more. The Carmel Community Players provides local theatre. Meanwhile, the Carmel Symphony is composed of over 60 volunteers that perform concerts throughout the year. Carmel High School’s performing arts department puts on Holiday Spectacular, which is a holiday musical program that has received city wide recognition. Concert in the Quarry takes place in the local quarry. The Carmel Symphony Orchestra performs a concert 160 feet below ground. Carmelfest is a local annual celebration that has been a tradition for the last 30 years. It is meant to celebrate both the community and national heritage. Guests enjoy a festival, parade, fireworks, the Freedom Run, and the Freedom Ball. There’s great fun, music, and festivities for children of all ages.

Other features that residents can also enjoy shopping at Clay Terrace, an outdoor Simon Mall property. Golf advocates can enjoy practicing their swings at one of the golf courses in Carmel including Bridgewater Country Club, Crooked Stick Golf Club, Twin Lakes Golf Club, Woodland Country Club, Brookshire Golf Course, Plum Creek Golf Course, Pebble Brook Golf Course, and Prairie View Golf Course.

Tennis prayers can improve their stroke at the Carmel Racquet Club, which the swimmer perfect their stroke at the Carmel Swim Club.

Click here to see other events and things to do in Carmel.

Carmel Neighborhoods – Carmel has over 120 neighborhoods with homes ranging from $75,000 to over $2,000,000. Carmel has closely regulated the homes and communities that have been built in order to preserve the quality of the city. The city has become well known for the communities such as The Village of West Clay, the Bridgewater Club, Bridlebourne, Cheswick Place, Delaware Trails, Avian Glen, Brooks Landing, Claridge Farms, Claybourne, Foster Estates, Laurel Wood, Plum Creek, Moffitt Farms, Springmill Streams, Springmill Ponds, Village of Mt. Carmel, and Woods at Williams Creek.

To see other homes for sale in Carmel, click here.

Carmel Utilities:

AT&T; (800) 742-8771 Web Site American Electric Power (800) 311-4634 Web Site Duke (Electric) (800) 521-2232 Web Site Carmel Sewage Utility (317) 571-2442 Web Site Carmel Water Department (317) 571-2442 Web Site

Hamilton Western (Water) (317) 848-6882 Web Site Insight Com. Cable (800) 439-9006 Web Site Time Warner Cable (317) 972-9700 Web Site U.S. Postal Service (800) 275-8777 Web Site Vectren Energy (Gas) (800) 227-1376 Web Site