Loading
Assembling your view…
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. On a $75K 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. Evansvi…
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evansville | $1,010 | 16% | 85 | Details |
| 2 | Fort Wayne | $1,160 | 19% | 90 | Details |
| 3 | Indianapolis | $1,356 | 22% | 92 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Evansville — cost index 85, rent $1,010/mo, income $52,251
3 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K
3 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K 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 real contender.
Here's Evansville by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 85. Rent: $1,010/month. Income: $52,251/year. Home price: $194,790. Population: 115,332. The strongest category is Housing at 63; the most expensive is Healthcare at 88. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $10,620 per year vs. the national median. That's a spread that makes moving costs look trivial (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
On a $75K salary, the key number is $1,875/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. You get the picture. Evansville ($1,010/mo, 16%), Fort Wayne ($1,160/mo, 19%), Indianapolis ($1,356/mo, 22%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $55,422 to $55,422/year across these top picks.
Most people overlook this detail, but it changes the picture. 3 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 3 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. This combination is rare — and valuable.
The broader context shifts things: State context matters: Indiana's 3 cities average a 89 cost index with $1,175/month median rent and $58,513 household income. Fairly typical for a city this size. Solidly affordable Rust Belt living. But it's not #1 for the reason you might think.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Evansville | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $55,422 |
2Fort Wayne | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $55,422 |
3Indianapolis | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $55,422 |
115,332 residents · Indiana
Why Evansville ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 85 on the cost index, residents save roughly 27% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,010/month while the median household pulls in $52,251/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 63, though Healthcare (88) lags behind. Home prices average $194,790 — $272,580 below the national median (that's pre-tax, of course).
269,994 residents · Indiana
Fort Wayne is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,160/month — for better or worse — , which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 90. Income sits at $60,293. Fairly typical for a city this size. Not even close to the national average.
879,293 residents · Indiana
The #3 spot goes to Indianapolis, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,356/month — though some people might weigh that differently — — saving renters $6,468 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 80, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 95. A 26% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
Evansville ranks #1 in Indiana for this analysis with a cost index of 85 and median income of $52,251.
Yes. On a $75K salary in Evansville, rent would consume about 16% 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 $75K in Evansville is approximately $55,422/year ($4,619/month). After median rent of $1,010/month, you'd have roughly $43,302/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.