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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And in practical terms, on a $150K salary, 3 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 3 cities in Indiana using 2026 census, rent,…
#1 Ranked: Evansville — cost index 85, rent $1,010/mo, income $52,251
3 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K
3 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Evansville | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $104,908 |
2Fort Wayne | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $104,908 |
3Indianapolis | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $104,908 |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And in practical terms, on a $150K salary, 3 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 3 cities in Indiana using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Evansville comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
A closer look at Evansville: the cost index of 85 breaks down to a Housing index of 63 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 88 (weakest). And for the typical household, median rent is $1,010/month — 47% below the national median — while household income sits at $52,251, meaning locals spend about 23% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Bottom line: Evansville leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And in practical terms, click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evansville | $1,010 | 8% | 85 | Details |
| 2 | Fort Wayne | $1,160 | 9% | 90 | Details |
| 3 | Indianapolis | $1,356 | 11% | 92 | Details |
115,332 residents · Indiana
What does daily life actually cost in Evansville? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 63) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 88) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $52,251 and homes at $194,790 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
269,994 residents · Indiana
What does daily life actually cost in Fort Wayne? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 74) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 92) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $60,293 and homes at $238,593 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
879,293 residents · Indiana
Dive into Indianapolis's numbers: cost index 92 (20 points below national average), rent $1,356/month, income $62,995, and a home price of $226,528. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 80, while Healthcare runs 95. As a major city with 879,293 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
We calculate what percentage of a $150K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Evansville ranks #1 in Indiana for this analysis with a cost index of 85 and median income of $52,251.
Yes. On a $150K salary in Evansville, rent would consume about 8% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Evansville (ranked #1) has a cost index of 85 and rent of $1,010/mo, while Indianapolis (ranked #3) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,356/mo — a 7-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Evansville is $1,010/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $885 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 3.05% state income tax, estimated take-home on $150K in Evansville is approximately $104,908/year ($8,742/month). After median rent of $1,010/month, you'd have roughly $92,788/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Evansville is $194,790, which is 3.7× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Indiana has a 3.05% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.78%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.