Places › New York › Carmel

Living in Carmel, NY

Suburb in New York

Carmel is a suburb in New York, home to about 34,000 people, with 1.9 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is Carmel a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Safe: violent crime is 0.06× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Mild summers: highs around 76°F
  • Strong healthcare: 9 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Dog-friendly: 4 dog parks within 9 mi

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $3,080 state income tax per resident, 2.12% property tax
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $549k, and rent is $3,640 a month
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Carmel ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
34,000
1.9 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
36°F / 76°F
Average daily highs · 40″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$549k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$3,640/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
109
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,080
State income tax per resident · 2.12% property tax
Safety
0.06× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
9 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
9
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Excellent
Tests well above US average · 13 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
41%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
LGA
43 mi away

Living in Carmel: common questions

What is the cost of living in Carmel?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $549k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,640 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 109, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Carmel?

New York collects about $3,080 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.12% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Carmel safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.06× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Carmel?

Public schools in Carmel test well above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 13 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Carmel?

Carmel has cold winters: winter days average around 36°F and summer days around 76°F, with roughly 40″ of snow a year.

Does Carmel get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 9 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.23 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Carmel?

The nearest major airport is LGA, about 43 mi away.

How Carmel scores

Each bar compares Carmel with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeMid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietQuiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundSome transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingExpensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceModerate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityTight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingHouses with yards ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingBelow average
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketExcellent
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsExcellent
🎓EducationBelow average
🧸Kids & familyGood
🐕Dog-friendlyExcellent
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CultureBelow average
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportGood

Places like Carmel

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Warwick, NYSuburb61 $529k$2,510/moNo crime data Yorktown, NYSuburb72 $676k$3,640/moVery safe East Fishkill, NYSmall city62 $521k$2,510/moNo crime data Plymouth, MASmall city58 $654k$3,530/moVery safe Freehold, NJSuburb66 $566k$3,040/moVery safe Trumbull, CTSuburb67 $620k$3,040/moVery safe

Nearby

Yorktown, NYSuburb · 9 mi away72 $676k$3,640/moVery safe East Fishkill, NYSmall city · 12 mi away62 $521k$2,510/moNo crime data Danbury, CTSuburb · 13 mi away54 $525k$3,040/moVery safe Cortlandt, NYSuburb · 13 mi away68 $643k$3,640/moNo crime data Beacon, NYSmall town · 15 mi away59 $573k$2,510/moVery safe Wappinger, NYSmall city · 16 mi away51 $421k$2,510/moNo crime data

See all the best places to live in New York.

Is Carmel right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.