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Last updated on Friday, September 19, 2014
(CARMEL) - Stick another feather in Mayor Jim Brainard’s cap.
The IndyStar reports, Carmel has earned more high marks on a national "Best Cities" list on the strength of its robust economy, low crime rates and quality schools.
The 24/7 Wall St. special report, featured Wednesday in USA Today, named Carmel No. 12 on its list of "America's 50 Best Cities to Live."
The rankings were determined by reviewing data on 550 areas measured by the U.S. Census Bureau with populations of 65,000 or more. The report's authors considered crime, education, amenities and economic factors in their ranking.
"Located a short drive from Indianapolis, Carmel is an extremely safe suburban community offering a strong educational system and many employment opportunities," the report concluded. "Carmel has the fifth-lowest property crime rate and the lowest violent crime rate of cities reviewed."
The labor market was one of the key measures used. In order to be considered, a city needed positive employment growth from 2011 to 2013 and an unemployment rate of no more than 9.8 percent, roughly one-third higher than the national rate last year, according to the report.
Carmel earned its highest marks on crime (99.7 out of 100), with just 13 violent crimes per 100,000 people, and its economy (91.1), with a $104,433 median income and just 5 percent unemployment.
The bad news for Carmel? The report's authors don't think there's much to do there.
Carmel received a 38.9 on leisure, earning bad marks for its lack of nightlife, nature parks and other sources of entertainment.
Oddly, despite the authors praising the city's unique transportation grid, which boasts more than 80 roundabouts, the suburb's worst score came on infrastructure, which earned it a 27.
The reason? The measures included number of airports, public transportation and average commute time, all of which are going to be worse in a suburb.
So who beat Carmel? No one in Indiana. Here's the top five cities in America, according to the study:
1. Newton, Mass.
2. Bellevue, Wash.
3. Mountain View, Calif.
4. Pleasanton, Calif.
5. Evanston, Ill.
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