Best Schools in Carmel, Indiana
28 schools · 17 Elementary · 3 Middle · 5 High · 3 Other
Choosing a school in Carmel?
Use this page to compare every school in Carmel by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Clay Center Elementary School
Elementary · Carmel Clay Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Prairie Trace Elementary School
Elementary · Carmel Clay Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Creekside Middle School
Middle · Carmel Clay Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Carmel for 2026 are Clay Center Elementary School (9.1/10), Prairie Trace Elementary School (8.4/10), and Creekside Middle School (8.4/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 17 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
28
17 public · 11 private
Avg Score
7.3
out of 10
Median Home
$403,475
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Schools
28
17 public · 11 private
Avg Score
7.3
out of 10
Median Home
$403,475
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Rates 9.1/10 despite 14% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.3 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Carmel schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +9.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Carmel schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Carmel
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 17 rated schools; 28 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clay Center Elementary School | 9.1 / 10 |
| 2 | Prairie Trace Elementary School | 8.4 / 10 |
| 3 | Creekside Middle School | 8.4 / 10 |
| 4 | Forest Dale Elementary School | 8.4 / 10 |
| 5 | Carmel Middle School | 8.3 / 10 |
| 6 | Clay Middle School | 8.2 / 10 |
| 7 | Mohawk Trails Elementary School | 8.2 / 10 |
| 8 | West Clay Elementary School | 8.1 / 10 |
| 9 | Smoky Row Elementary School | 7.9 / 10 |
| 10 | Carmel High School | 7.8 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 7.3/10
- Median household income
- $120,527
- Median home value
- $403,475
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 67%
- Avg commute
- 24 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 74%
72% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Carmel compares
Indiana rank
#26 of 220
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+1.0
above Indiana avg (6.4)
Median household income
$121k
168% of Indiana median
Schools in this city
25
Carmel Clay Schools runs 88% of Carmel's public schools
Carmel touches 3 districts, but Carmel Clay Schools is the one most addresses actually attend.
Carmel Clay Schools accounts for 15 of 17 public schools (88%). The other 2 districts hold the remaining 2.
Among 17 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 4.0 to 9.1 — the spread is inside Carmel, not a citywide average.
- Carmel Clay Schools15 public · 88%
- Indiana Agriculture and Technology1 public · 6%
- Options Charter Schools1 public · 6%
About Schools in Carmel, Indiana
Carmel's 17 ranked public schools average 7.7 out of 10. Fifteen of those 17 schools — 88% — score 7 or higher. The distribution skews heavily toward the top: strong performers are the norm here, not isolated bright spots, and the two schools that fall below 7.0 are the clear exceptions.
Clay Center Elementary School leads at 9.5 out of 10, the highest score in the city. Carmel High School and West Clay Elementary School both score 9.1, with Prairie Trace Elementary (8.8) and Towne Meadow Elementary (8.6) rounding out the top five. Those five schools span fewer than nine-tenths of a point — a tight cluster that reflects genuine depth at the high end. With the citywide average at 7.7, schools outside the top five are still performing well above the floor. This isn't a system where one or two campuses inflate an otherwise flat distribution.
Four of the five highest-rated schools are elementary campuses, giving families with younger children several strong options to weigh by neighborhood. Carmel High School's 9.1 rating confirms the system holds at the secondary level — students moving out of elementary don't absorb a meaningful score drop. The grade progression stays strong from the earliest years through graduation.
For parents comparing neighborhoods, the practical question isn't whether Carmel delivers solid public schools — 88% score 7 or above and the city average is 7.7. The more focused question is whether Clay Center Elementary's 9.5 is worth anchoring the address search around, or whether any of the dozen-plus schools above 7.0 fits the family's priorities equally well. For most families, that comes down to which part of Carmel makes practical sense. Either path leads to a school that clears a high bar. This is a city where the tiebreaker is preference, not desperation.
Elementary Schools
17 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 689 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.1 |
| 2 | 705 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.4 |
| 3 | 653 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.4 |
| 4 | 556 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.2 |
| 5 | 612 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.1 |
| 6 | 659 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.9 |
| 7 | 682 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.5 |
| 8 | 537 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.5 |
| 9 | 711 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.5 |
| 10 | 618 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.0 |
Show all 17 elementary schools in Carmel
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,394 students · 6th–8th | 8.4 |
| 2 | 1,070 students · 6th–8th | 8.3 |
| 3 | 1,395 students · 6th–8th | 8.2 |
High Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5,200 students · 9th–12th | 7.8 | ||
| 2 | 252 students · 6th–12th | 4.5 | ||
| 3 | 373 students · 7th–12th | 4.0 | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Midwest AcademyPrivate 111 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 358 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highlands Latin SchoolPrivate 176 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated |
| 2 | Coram Deo AcademyPrivate 225 students · Pre-K–10th | Not Rated |
| 3 | Coram Deo AcademyPrivate 225 students · Pre-K–10th | Not Rated |
Schools in Carmel
Carmel, Indiana · 28 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 4 ZIP codes
Median Income
$120,527
Median Home Value
$403,475
Median Rent
$1,590/mo
Population
145,033
College Educated
67%
Homeownership
74%
Avg Commute
24 min
Poverty Rate
4.2%
Community Profile
Carmel has a median household income of $120,527. It is a well-educated community where 67% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $403,475, with a median rent of $1,590/month. The local poverty rate of 4.2% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 24 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Indiana
- Elementary
- 17
- Middle
- 3
- High
- 5
- Other
- 3
Resources
Other Major Cities in Indiana
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Carmel, Indiana
How many schools are in Carmel, Indiana?
Carmel has 28 schools, including 17 public and 11 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Carmel, Indiana?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Carmel is 7.3 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Carmel, Indiana?
The top-ranked school in Carmel on MySchoolScout is Clay Center Elementary School with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best elementary school in Carmel, Indiana?
The top-ranked elementary school in Carmel on MySchoolScout is Clay Center Elementary School with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best middle school in Carmel, Indiana?
The top-ranked middle school in Carmel on MySchoolScout is Creekside Middle School with a composite score of 8.4/10.
What is the best high school in Carmel, Indiana?
The top-ranked high school in Carmel on MySchoolScout is Carmel High School with a composite score of 7.8/10.
How many school districts serve Carmel, Indiana?
Carmel is served by 3 school districts: Options Charter Schools, Indiana Agriculture and Technology, Carmel Clay Schools.
What is the education level in Carmel, Indiana?
According to Census data, 67% of adults in Carmel have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Carmel, Indiana?
The median household income in Carmel is approximately $120,527 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Carmel, Indiana?
Yes, Carmel has 11 private schools alongside 17 public schools. The top-rated private school is Midwest Academy with a score of 8.0/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Carmel, Indiana?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Carmel is 16.5:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Carmel, Indiana?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
Related reading
Get school insights in your inbox
New rankings and parent guides, free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Indiana Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.