Carmel: Carmel, in Clay Township, is the largest of the city’s northern suburbs with a population around 30,000. Driving time to the downtown area is about a half hour, and traffic, including rush hour traffic, is markedly better than in other cities of comparable size. Part of the reason for this is Indianapolis’ rare conglomeration of interstates, all converging on the downtown area, creating convenient driving situations for many in outlying areas. Realtors consider Carmel to be one of the top choices for suburban living in the Indianapolis area. Carmel is served by the Carmel-Clay School District.

 

Fishers: With its population of 15,000 bringing it in at half the size of Carmel, Fishers is still a good-sized suburb. Fishers is part of both Delaware Township and Fall Creek Township, in Hamilton County. The White River is one of the borders of this suburb. There is no area in Indianapolis that is growing more quickly than Fishers. Hamilton Southeastern Schools serve the suburb of Fishers.

 

Geist: Geist is the name of a reservoir in northeast Indianapolis, and the land surrounding the reservoir is a suburb bearing the same name. It includes both Lawrence Township and Fall Creek Township, with parts of the suburb in both Marion and Hamilton Counties. It should be noted that Geist is not a governmentally recognized suburb, but it is an extremely popular area just the same. In fact, it is probably the second largest northern suburb, rivaling Carmel in population numbers (the official population is not available for this area because it is not officially recognized as a suburb). Geist is served by both Lawrence Township Schools and Hamilton Southeastern Schools.

 

Zionsville: The list of northern suburbs in the Indianapolis area is the largest, and Zionsville is one of the most beautiful areas on that list. Zionsville is in Eagle Township in Boone County. With a population of just 6,000, Zionsville provides the advantages of small-town feel with the advantages of being near a large city. It is served by Eagle-Union Schools.

 

Westfield: The Indianapolis suburb of Westfield is located in Washington Township, also in Hamilton County. It is even farther north than Carmel, so the drive to downtown is one of the longer from any of the suburbs. Like Zionsville, Westfield’s population is only 6,000, so it offers some of the same advantages. Westfield, however, is experiencing rapid growth and will lose its small-town feel as it continues to flourish in the coming years. Westfield-Washington Schools serve Westfield.

 

Noblesville: Noblesville is another suburb in Hamilton County, and it is yet another suburb with a population of 15,000+. This is one of the most popular residential suburbs in all of Indianapolis, possibly because of the presence of Morse Reservoir, one of the prettiest locales in the entire metropolitan area.

 

 

Greenfield: The suburb of Greenfield, in Hancock County, is a 30-minute drive east of the city. With a population of about 15,000, Greenfield is another of the large suburbs of the metropolitan Indianapolis area. The median household income here is $42,000, while the median house value is a reasonable $106,000.

 

Shelbyville: Shelbyville, in Shelby County, is a beautiful Indianapolis suburb with a population of about 18,000. About a 40-minute drive from downtown, Shelbyville is one of Indianapolis’ most affordable suburbs. The median house value is under $87,000, while the median income is around $37,000.

 

 

Greenwood: With a population of over 36,000, Greenwood is the largest suburb in the Indianapolis metropolitan area, a part of Johnson County. It is just a brief 20-minute drive from the downtown area, making it also one of the closest suburbs. The median household income in Greenwood is over $46,000, while the median home value is around $116,000.

 

Mooresville: Mooresville, part of Morgan County, is a quaint suburb of just under 10,000. About a thirty-minute drive from downtown Indianapolis, Mooresville is home of the Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation, one of the finest public school districts in the state of Indiana. The median household income in Mooresville is $47,000, while the average home costs about $113,000.

 

Martinsville: Martinsville is about 45 minutes southwest of downtown Indianapolis. The median household income here is around $33,000, while the median house value is $90,000. Martinsville is part of Morgan County and boasts a population of 12,000.

 

 

Brownsburg: About a half-hour northwest of Indianapolis sits Brownsburg, a lovely suburb of around 15,000. This is one of the metropolitan area’s most popular residential areas. Brownsburg is in Lincoln Township, part of Hendricks County. It is served by the Brownsburg Schools. The median household income in Brownsburg is over $54,000, while the average home here costs $124,000.

 

Avon: Avon, Indianapolis’ wealthiest suburb, boasts a median household income of $67,000. It also is the locale of the metro area’s most expensive homes, averaging about $146,000. Just a short 20-minute drive from downtown, Avon, part of Hendricks County, has a population of about 6,500.

 

Plainfield: The suburb of Plainfield, with a population around 19,000, provides the easiest access to Indianapolis International Airport of all the city’s suburbs, something to consider for the frequent traveler. Plainfield is also in Hendricks County, and is about a half-hour drive from downtown Indianapolis. The median household income here is $47,000, while the average home costs $125,000.