The earliest settlers were California Indians who left artifacts along the Carmel Creek bed. A Spanish soldier named the area Cordero, and early American settlers named other areas after themselves, such as McGonigle Canyon.
The Butterfield Stage and Pony Express used a route that is now known as El Camino Real, one of the main streets traversing Carmel Valley. In 1905, a group of Carmelite nuns built a monastery and dairy in the area, hence the name "Carmel." The area was agricultural and devoted to horse farms until the mid-1970's.
A master plan developed in 1975, advocating the development of a series of residential neighborhoods on the mesas, leaving the canyons as open space. The area was re-named "North City West" but the name didn't stick, and residents voted to change the name back to "Carmel Valley" in the early 1990's.
| Community Name | Builder | Units | BR | Sq. Ft. Home | Avg. Price | Mello Roos | Map Code |
| Alta Mar | Pardee | 175 | 3-4 | 1600-2500 | $918,000 | None | 1187J4 |
| Amador | Davidson | 60 | 4-6 | 3700-4400 | $1,575,000 | $1244 | 1188D4 |
| Antares | RGC | 100 | 2-3 | 1300-1600 | $604,00 | $791 | 1188A5 |
| Bayshore | Baldwin | 167 | 3-4 | 1200-1800 | $663,000 | None | 1188B6 |
| Cantamar | Baldwin | 223 | 3-5 | 2300-2900 | $1,026,000 | $1244 | 1188C6 |
| Canyon Ridge | Warmington | 116 | 3-4 | 1600-1900 | $659,000 | $905 | 1188C5 |
| Carmel Village | Hovnanian | 50 | 3-5 | 2100-2300 | $751,000 | $1100 | 1188C5 |
| Creek Park | Baldwin | 162 | 3-5 | 1700-2700 | $753,000 | None | 1188A7 |
| Del Mar Bluffs | Pardee | 129 | 4-5 | 1800-2400 | $816,000 | $1018 | 1188B5 |
| Del Mar Place | Baldwin | 242 | 3-5 | 2000-3300 | $996,000 | None | 1188C5 |
| Derby Point | Continental | 10 | 3-5 | 3000+ | $1,259,000 | $1244 | 1188A4 |
| The Estates | Baldwin | 127 | 3-5 | 2800-3400 | $950,000 | $1244 | 1188D6 |
| Granada | Baldwin | 62 | 3-4 | 2200-2800 | $868,000 | $1244 | 1188B6 |
| Heights | Pardee | 500 | 3-5 | 2000-3200 | $1,034,000 | None | 1187J4 |
| The Hunt Club | Centex | 45 | 4-5 | 3800-4600 | $1,402,000 | $1800 | 1188E5 |
| Huntington Heights | Pardee | 132 | 4-6 | 3000-3700 | $1,216,000 | $1244 | 1188D4 |
| Lexington @ The Summit | Pardee | 27 | 3-5 | 3700-4700 | $1,426,000 | $1244 | 1208E1 |
| Mayfield | Pardee | 76 | 4-6 | 2000-2700 | $886,000 | $1244 | 1188A4 |
| Palacio | Pardee | 320 | 4-6 | 2000-3500 | $830,000 | $1131 | 1188D7 |
| Palisades | Standard Pac | 33 | 3-5 | 2400-3100 | $957,000 | $1244 | 1188C6 |
| Palma Del Mar | Pardee | 76 | 3-5 | 2200-3200 | $1,093,000 | $1244 | 1188C5 |
| Pines | Baldwin | 168 | 2-3 | 1200-1800 | $674,000 | None | 1188A7 |
| Private Collection | Davidson | 39 | 4-6 | 3800-4400 | $1,400,000 | $1244 | 1188A6 |
| Promontory | Pardee | 155 | 4-5 | 3100-4000 | $1,323,000 | $1244 | 1188C5 |
| Provence | Standard Pac | 58 | 4-5 | 3200-3800 | $1,188,000 | $1244 | 1188D5 |
| San Remo | Pardee | 168 | 3-4 | 1300-2200 | $772,038 | $960 | 1188C5 |
| Santa Fe Summit | Pardee | 305 | 4-5 | 2800-3700 | $1,334,000 | $1244 | 1188D4 |
| Seabridge | Baldwin | 150 | 3-5 | 1700-2600 | $792,000 | None | 1188B7 |
| Sonoma | Baldwin | 150 | 4-6 | 3200-4300 | $1,286,000 | $1244 | 1188D6 |
| Stallions Crossing | Sea Country | 47 | 3-5 | 2900-3800 | $1,210,000 | $855 | 1187J3 |
| Stone Canyon | Baldwin | 99 | 3-4 | 1800-2200 | $729,000 | $1080 | 1188C6 |
| Stone Canyon | Hovnanian | 71 | 3-4 | 1800-2200 | $729,000 | $1080 | 1188C6 |
| Torrey Glen | Pardee | 151 | 3-4 | 1500-2200 | $676,000 | None | 1188B4 |
| Triple Crown | Barratt | 85 | 4-5 | 3600-4400 | $1,367,000 | $1800 | 1188D5 |
| Venezia | Barratt | 42 | 4-5 | 3100-3800 | $1,275,000 | $1244 | 1188A3 |
| Vista Santa Barbara* | Pardee | 89 | 4-5 | 3377-392 | $1,310,000 | $1244 | 1188C5 |
| Watercolors | Hovnanian | 39 | 3-5 | 2200-2800 | $1,000,000 | $1244 | 1188C6 |
| Wildhorse | Centex | 55 | 3-5 | 3100-3800 | $1,152,000 | $1244-$1841 | 1188D5 |
* Vista Santa Barbara was mistakenly identified as Pointe Carmel on the First American Title Carmel Valley Map.
| Community | Builde | Units | BR | Sq. Ft. Home | Avg. Price | Mello Roos | Map Code |
| Andalucia | J&M Realty | 181 | 2-3 | 1200-1400 | $497,000 | None | 1188A6 |
| Arborlake | Baldwin | 192 | 1-2 | 742+ | $362,000 | None | 1188A7 |
| Cambria | Pardee | 235 | 2-3 | 1020+ | $494,000 | None | 1188A4 |
| Camino Villas | Pardee | 180 | 1-2 | 586+ | $351,000 | $454 | 1188A6 |
| Carmel Pointe | Pacifica Pte | 200 | 1-3 | 704-1387 | $386,000 | $678 | 1188A6 |
| Chateau Village | Pardee | 170 | 2-3 | 1100+ | $525,000 | $565 | 1188A7 |
| Coral Cove | Baldwin | 118 | 2-3 | 1300+ | $573,000 | None | 1188A7 |
| Crest Del Mar | Garden Hmes | 197 | 2-3 | 1300+ | $528,000 | $791 | 1187J6 |
| Del Mar Villas | Condo Conv | 232 | 1-2 | 650+ | $345,000 | $480 | 1188A7 |
| East Bluff | Pardee | 199 | 2-3 | 1270 | $568,000 | None | 1187J5 |
| Elysian | Del Mar Assoc. | 160 | 2 | 1005 | $419,000 | $575 | 1188A5 |
| The Groves | Baldwin | 173 | 2-3 | 1062 | $463,000 | None | 1187J7 |
| Halcyon | Del Mar Assoc. | 184 | 2-3 | 1123 | $494,000 | None | 1188B6 |
| The Heights | Hammer Ven | 225 | 1-3 | 850-1500 | $516,000 | $452 | 1188B6 |
| La Plage | Baldwin | 136 | 3 | 2000+ | $670,000 | $1018-$1244 | 1188C7 |
| The Lakes | Baldwin | 192 | 1-2 | 790+ | $315,000 | None | 1187J7 |
| Martinique | Pardee | 116 | 1-2 | 560+ | $333,000 | $452 | 1188A5 |
| Montemar | Baldwin | 119 | 2-3 | 1200+ | $599,000 | $790 | 1188B6 |
| Pacifica | Pardee | 192 | 2-3 | 1000+ | $496,000 | $678 | 1188A4 |
| Palermo | Baldwin | 196 | 2-3 | 930+ | $443,000 | $565 | 1188B6 |
| Palmilla | Pardee | 92 | 2-3 | 1225+ | $600,000 | $678 | 1188A4 |
| Pelagos | Western | 99 | 2-4 | 1093+ | $554,000 | $565-$684 | 1188A7 |
| Pell Place | DR Horton | 316 | 1-2 | 750-1300 | $412,000 | $475 | 1188A6 |
| Regents Square | Mayfair | 60 | 3 | 1947+ | $768,000 | None | 1188A5 |
| Sunstream | Baldwin | 259 | 2-3 | 1075+ | $489,000 | None | 1188A7 |
| Windwood | Baldwin | 154 | 2-3 | 1100+ | $560,000 | None | 1188B6 |