Sammamish, WA #21 vs. Carmel, IN #1 (new US News Ranking)
I’ve lived in both U.S. News’ #1 city (Carmel, IN) and #21 (Sammamish, WA). Here’s what the data says vs. reality.
U.S. News recently dropped their Best Places to Live rankings. Carmel took the absolute top spot, while Sammamish landed at #21. Having lived in both, originally an Indiana native before relocating to the Eastside for a career in tech, I wanted to break down what the data actually says, and then share my personal pros and cons.
The Data Breakdown
When you look at the methodology, the gap between the two comes down almost entirely to housing costs.
| Metric | Carmel, IN | Sammamish, WA |
|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1 Overall | #21 Desirability |
| Median Home Price | ~$520,000 | ~$1.5M+ |
| Job Market | Strong Local/Regional | #3 Nationally |
| Vibe | Walkable downtown, roundabout capital | Quiet, forested plateau, tech-heavy |
| Why it scored here | Hits the "golden ratio" of high quality of life plus affordability. | Economic powerhouse with top-tier safety. Heavily penalized for housing costs. |
My Experience: Carmel
The Goods:
- Cost of Living & Housing: Unbeatable. You can buy an amazing, oversized house here for significantly less than a very modest 3-bedroom house around Sammamish. When you're working and raising a family, being able to easily fund your 529s, pad your emergency fund, and live comfortably without financial stress is a massive boost to your daily quality of life.
- Family Infrastructure: The local park system is phenomenal, and it is an incredibly kid-friendly area. The schools, the school libraries, and the city libraries are all top-notch. Day to day is very smooth between family, work and life.
- Entertainment & Proximity: There is plenty to do! We frequently visited summer concerts and outdoor community events. Plus, you’re incredibly close to Indy for pro sports, conventions, and city life. Yes, you trade the M's for the Indianapolis Indians, but the Colts, Pacers, Fever and Indy 500 are all great to watch.
The Bads:
- Lack of Real Nature: My wife and I actually felt pretty trapped here when it came to getting out and exploring. The local parks are nice, but the Midwest just doesn’t have high-quality nature access until you drive hours north into Michigan or Wisconsin.
My Experience: Sammamish
The Goods:
- The Geography: It is undoubtedly prettier, with significantly more to do. Having immediate proximity to the mountains, deep forests, and the ocean is incredible.
- Career Upside: Easy access to significantly higher-paying tech jobs without an horrific commute (depending on when you leave..).
- Local Parks: Even without big commercial areas, the local plateau park system is genuinely great.
The Bads:
- Housing Value: Houses are absolutely smaller for your money. Depending on how large your family is, you are paying a massive premium for less square footage.
- Lack of Amenities & Dining: There isn't much shopping or dining on the plateau itself. It’s kind of a pain when you just want to grab a quick bite to eat. You almost always have to drive off the plateau to Redmond, Issaquah, or Seattle. (I really support building more local businesses to let folks actually stay on the plateau).
My thoughts..
Do I agree that Carmel should be the absolute #1 in the country? I don't necessarily know. Sammamish could definitely use more things to do and places to eat, but I like both options a lot for very different reasons. Carmel wins hands down for cost of living and financial peace of mind. Sammamish wins for proximity to higher-paying careers and elite outdoor nature vibes.
Overall I was very happy with both for different reasons.