Carmi is a quiet, rural county seat with a sense of community
Carmi is a small rural town in southeastern Illinois and the county seat of White County. Seated along the Little Wabash River, the town was founded as an agricultural hub in the early 19th century and remains one to this day. However, locals today are just as likely to be involved in county government or services as they are to work in farming. "It's a nice, quiet little town. I don't even lock my doors," says real estate agent and Carmi native Nikki Edwards of NFE Realty. "If my car broke down within 10 miles of town, somebody would stop to help within a few minutes, and I would probably know them. It's that kind of place. People are nice and everybody knows everybody."
Turn-of-the-century bungalows and midcentury ranch-style homes
Housing stock in Carmi is mostly made up of modest single-family homes. The gridded streets surrounding the town center are lined with a mix of early-20th-century cottages and bungalows, along with a few Victorians. Midcentury ranch-style homes can be found further out, often on larger lots backing up onto woods or farms. Most homes in the area sell for between $60,000 and $275,000, though some larger historic homes can go for more.
A quaint downtown area and a few big box stores on the outskirts
Carmi serves as the shopping and dining hub for much of White County. Most of the town's shops are found along Main Street, which is also home to a number of local government offices. Downtown Carmi is home to the historic Ratcliff Inn — now the Ratcliff Inn Museum — along with popular eateries like Carmi's Main Street Cafe and Gottzz's bar and grill. The local Little Giant Grocery and Walmart Supercenter are both located on the west side of town, along with a few other large retailers. For additional shopping, residents generally make the drive to Evansville, Indiana, which is roughly an hour by car. While there are a few clinics in town, the nearest full-service medical center is Hamilton Memorial Hospital in McLeansboro, a little over 20 miles west of town.
Hiking in Burrell Woods
Bradwshaw Park, the town's largest green space, is home to multiple athletic fields and a playground. Eckerle Park is home to an additional playground, as well as the Carmi Swimming Pool. Just outside of town, Burrell Woods Bicentennial Park features a hiking trail and a modern dog park. Carmi Country Club offers a public 9-hole golf course with sweeping views. The area is also popular with hunters. "We're known for our whitetail deer," says Edwards. "People come from all over the place to hunt here."
Carmi-White County schools
The local public schools are overseen by the Carmi-White County Community Unit School District, which has a B grade on Niche. Grades 1 through 5 are split into the Jefferson Attendance Center, Washington Attendance Center and Lincoln Attendance Center, which have B-plus, B and B-minus grades, respectively. Carmi-White County Junior Middle School and Carmi-White County Junior High School both have B grades. Carmi-White County High offers dual enrollment courses through a partnership with Southeastern Illinois College.
The White County Fair and Corn Days draw crowds
The White County Fair is held the week after the 4th of July at the Carmi fairgrounds each summer, and features pig penning, harness racing and a demolition derby. The fair organizers claim it has been going on for over 140 years. Corn Days, a long-running October harvest festival and parade, draws visitors from all over the area.
Most people view car ownership as a necessity
Illinois Routes 1 and 14 run through the city, connecting it to regional corridors and carrying most of the commuter and shipping traffic in the area. There's no regular public transportation in the area, so locals typically rely on cars to get around. It's a 45-mile drive to Evansville, Indiana, the nearest sizable city, and about 50 miles to Evansville Regional Airport, which offers direct flights to a few hubs around the country.
