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Elevation

Elevation of Carmel

853ft

above sea level · 260 m

Carmel is a city in Indiana with 105,634 people, the 4th most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 74th highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
39.98° N · 86.12° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 39° 58′ 42″ N · 86° 7′ 5″ W
UTM coordinates
16S · 575,308 E · 4,425,729 N
Zone 16 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Hamilton County
Where the city’s reference point falls
State
Indiana
IN · capital: Indianapolis
Time zone
Eastern Time
UTC−5 · UTC−4 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
105,634 people
49.1 sq mi of land · 2,152 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from January 2024: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Carmel had 105,634 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 5.9% more than in April 2020, when it had 99,756. Its 49.1 sq mi of land work out to 2,152 people/sq mi; the state average is 195 people/sq mi.

It’s the 4th most populous of the 974 places the Census counts in Indiana (cities, towns and CDPs), after Indianapolis (901,116), and holds 1.5% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within Hamilton County. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 1.8 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

Compared with US cities of 100,000 to 250,000

Carmel sits at 853 ft (260 m) above sea level. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, the highest is Lakewood (5,520 ft) and the lowest is Fort Lauderdale (3 ft). The average is 862 ft: Carmel is 9 ft below it.

The state capital, Indianapolis, is 15 mi away in a straight line and 123 ft lower than Carmel.

Of the 6 cities in Indiana with a page, Carmel is the highest. The others are Fishers (816 ft), Fort Wayne (810 ft), Indianapolis (730 ft), South Bend (692 ft), and Evansville (383 ft).

The highest point in Indiana is Hoosier Hill, at 1,257 ft according to the USGS: 404 ft above Carmel, 67 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 72 Pasadena 863 ft
  2. 73 Kansas City 860 ft
  3. 74 Carmel 853 ft
  4. 75 Lansing 853 ft
  5. 76 Pomona 849 ft

Each color band is 500 m (1,640 ft), the same colors as the map. See the full list

Nearest cities with a page

Tools for this place

Elevation profile Draw a route from Carmel and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Carmel with any other point on the map. Map of Hamilton County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Carmel and its clock changes. What county am I in? See which county, city and ZIP code you’re in, from your location. Blank map of Indiana counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Carmel.

What is the elevation of Carmel?

Carmel is 853 feet (260 m) above sea level. That’s the ground height from the USGS 3DEP elevation model at the city’s reference point in the official gazetteer (GNIS). The city doesn’t have a single elevation: it rises and falls from one neighborhood to another.

What are the coordinates of Carmel?

Latitude 39.97837 and longitude -86.11804, in decimal degrees (39° 58′ 42″ N · 86° 7′ 5″ W). In UTM, zone 16: 575,308 E and 4,425,729 N, on NAD83.

How does Carmel rank among the highest US cities of its size?

It’s the 74th highest of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people. The highest is Lakewood (5,520 ft) and the lowest is Fort Lauderdale (3 ft).

What county is Carmel in?

Hamilton County, Indiana.

Which is higher, Carmel or Indianapolis?

Carmel. Carmel sits at 853 ft and Indianapolis at 730 ft: a difference of 123 ft, 15 mi apart in a straight line.

How is elevation measured?

Elevation is the height above mean sea level. In the US the official reference is the NAVD88 vertical datum. Summits are surveyed on the ground, with leveling and precise GPS. The USGS 3DEP is an elevation model of the whole country, largely from 1-meter lidar: it gives the ground height at every point. That’s why it can differ by a few feet from the official figure of a sharp summit.

Sources

  • USGS 3DEP (EPQS service) The elevation: the ground height at the reference point. Public domain.
  • USGS GNIS (official gazetteer) The city’s reference point (“Populated Place”). Public domain.
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimates Population, land area (2025 Gazetteer) and counties. Public domain.
  • TIGERweb (U.S. Census Bureau) Which county and city the point falls in. Public domain.
  • timezone-boundary-builder The point’s time zone (ODbL, © OpenStreetMap contributors).
  • Terrain Tiles, OpenStreetMap and OpenFreeMap The relief shading and the base map (ODbL).

Methodology and sources · Spotted a mistake? Let us know