Carmel, Indiana
Settled in 1837 by Quakers, Carmel is now one of the fastest-growing cities in Indiana. Located roughly 20 miles outside Indianapolis, the town features a picturesque Main Street, with storefronts like Joe’s Butcher Shop and Fish Market and Peace Water Winery, and art galleries and specialty shops in the town’s Art & Design district.
The economy is thriving, with low unemployment and a projected 11.6% increase in the number of jobs in the area, according to Moody’s Analytics. Large employers headquartered here include Allegion, CNO Financial Group, and GEICO.
Outdoor options also abound. Coxhall Gardens, a 125-acre site, features lush green paths, a fishing lake, and occasional live music shows.
Carmel residents also tout their safe roads. Since the 1990s, the city has been replacing traditional signalized intersections with roundabouts, and today has 100 of them—more than anywhere else in the U.S. —Annie Nova
This story has been updated to remove an incorrect reference to one of the community amenities in Carmel, Ind.