Carmel (/ˈkɑːrməl/) is a suburban city in Hamilton County, Indiana, United States, immediately north of Indianapolis.

With a population of 99,757 as of the 2020 census, the city spans 49 square miles (130 km2) across Clay Township and is bordered by the White River to the east and the Boone County line to the west.

[8][9] In the 1820s, the government put the lands in the area on sale, leading many farmers to settle on the west bank of White River.

It was platted and recorded in 1837 by Daniel Warren, Alexander Mills, John Phelps, and Seth Green,[12]: 241  who donated their adjoining properties of equal size to create the town.

[10] The plot first established in Bethlehem, located at the intersection of Rangeline Road and Main Street, was marked by a clock tower donated by the local Rotary Club in 2002.

The city's first library was started by the local Wednesday Literary Club and schoolteacher Mahlon Luther Hains in 1904.

[15] The Carmel Monon Depot, John Kinzer House, and Thornhurst Addition are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

[10] Carmel occupies the southwestern part of Hamilton County, adjacent to Indianapolis and, with the annexation of Home Place in 2018, is now entirely coextensive with Clay Township.

North–south streets are not numbered and include (west to east) Michigan, Shelborne, Towne, Ditch, Spring Mill, Meridian, Guilford, Rangeline, Keystone, Carey, Gray, Hazel Dell, and River.

Several large companies reside in Carmel, and it serves as the national headquarters for OPENLANE (formerly KAR Global), Allegion, CNO Financial Group, MISO, and Delta Faucet.

As of January 2017[update], the city's 10 largest employers were:[28] Carmel also serves as the global headquarters of the North American Interfraternity Conference, an association of multiple fraternities and sororities.

[30] Founded in 1998, the Carmel Farmers Market is one of the largest in the state of Indiana, with over 60 vendors of Indiana-grown and/or produced edible products.

The building housing the Carmel Clay Parks Department offices is connected by an elevated walkway over the Monon Trail.

In January 2006, speed limit signs of 15 to 20 miles per hour (24 to 32 km/h) were added to sections of the trail in Hamilton County.

The district includes the Carmel Clay Public Library,[32] the Hamilton County Convention & Visitor's Bureau and Welcome Center, and a collection of art galleries, boutiques, interior designers, cafes, and restaurants.

This pedestrian-based master plan development is located at the southwest corner of City Center Drive (126th Street) and Range Line Road.

Other shopping areas include Carmel City Center,[36] Mohawk Trails Plaza, and Merchants' Square.

The garden was dedicated in 2009 as the 15th anniversary of Carmel's Sister City relationship with Kawachinagano, Japan, was celebrated.

[40][41] Founded in 2017, under the direction of then Mayor James Brainard,[42] Carmel Christkindlmarkt is an open air Christmas market known for its Glühwein Pyramid, a 33-foot tall (10 m) structure lit with 3000 bulbs.

In mid-2017, the city council was considering a multimillion-dollar bond issue that would cover the cost of roundabouts, paths, roadwork, land acquisition by the Carmel Redevelopment Commission and would include the purchase of an antique carousel[47] from a Canadian amusement park for an estimated purchase price of CAD $3 million, approximately US$2.25 million.

[48] However, a citizen led petition drive against the purchase caused the city council to remove it from the bond issue.

[49] According to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, as of 2019 the City of Carmel had an overall debt load of $1.3 billion.