WSJ calls Carmel 'Internet's Favorite Small City,' interviews new arrivals from LA, Austin

The Wall Street Journal dubs Carmel 'The Internet's Favorite Small City' in a recent article.

The article, published at 9 p.m. Wednesday, follows the stories of three families who moved to Carmel from Los Angeles and Austin.

The families name the city's frequent appearances on 'Best Places to Live' lists as part of the initial draw, but the city's aesthetics, high-ranked school district and walkable downtown are credited as reasons they ended up moving.

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"Once a sleepy neighbor of Indianapolis, Carmel has seen explosive population growth and redevelopment under its current mayor, Jim Brainard, who is currently serving his seventh and last consecutive term," the article said.

Another draw for those interviewed was "relative affordability." What they mean is Carmel has lower taxes and better real estate prices than the cities they moved from.

One family interviewed bought a property in Carmel for a little under $2 million, almost half a million less than their Austin home's sale price.

Etta Walters, who recently moved back, could not believe how much Carmel had changed since she left Indianapolis in 2006.

"I was like 'Oh my gosh this place is insane.' There's roundabouts, restaurants, good schools and flowers everywhere," she told WSJ.

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Contact IndyStar reporter Katie Wiseman at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman.