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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Indiana's value. 3 out of 3 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Indianapolis at index 79, where median rent of $1,356/month saves renters $6,468/year versus the national median.
879,293 residents · Indiana
Dive into Indianapolis's numbers: cost index 79 (32 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 79, while Healthcare runs 96. As a major city with 879,293 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
115,332 residents · Indiana
Why Evansville ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 59 on the cost index, residents save roughly 52% 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 59, though Healthcare (92) lags behind. Home prices average $194,790 — $272,580 below the national median.
269,994 residents · Indiana
Dive into Fort Wayne's numbers: cost index 68 (43 points below national average), rent $1,160/month, income $60,293, and a home price of $238,593. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 68, while Healthcare runs 94. With 269,994 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
#1 Ranked: Indianapolis — cost index 79, rent $1,356/mo, income $62,995
3 of 3 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indianapolis | 79 | $1,356 | Details |
| 2 | Evansville | 59 | $1,010 | Details |
| 3 | Fort Wayne | 68 | $1,160 | Details |
Dollar for dollar, few states match Indiana's value. 3 out of 3 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Indianapolis at index 79, where median rent of $1,356/month saves renters $6,468/year versus the national median.
The way we see it, the numbers for Indianapolis are straightforward: 79 on the cost index, $1,356/month rent, $62,995 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. And in practical terms, 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.
Indianapolis ranks #1 in Indiana for this analysis with a cost index of 79 and median income of $62,995.
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.
Indianapolis (ranked #1) has a cost index of 79 and rent of $1,356/mo, while Fort Wayne (ranked #3) has a cost index of 68 and rent of $1,160/mo — a 11-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 Indianapolis is $1,356/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $539 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Indianapolis is $226,528, which is 3.6× 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.