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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 3 of 3 cities in Indiana beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Evansville stands out at 85 on the index, with rent of $1,010/month — we had to double-check this one — and household income of $52,251. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data (and that gap …
| Rank | City | Healthcare Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evansville | 88 | 85 | $1,010 | Details |
| 2 | Fort Wayne | 92 | 90 | $1,160 | Details |
| 3 | Indianapolis | 95 | 92 | $1,356 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Evansville — cost index 85, rent $1,010/mo, income $52,251
3 of 3 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The numbers are clear: 3 of 3 cities in Indiana beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Evansville stands out at 85 on the index, with rent of $1,010/month — we had to double-check this one — and household income of $52,251. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
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).
The healthcare sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 92 (the top-10 average here) means healthcare costs are about 8% below the national median. Evansville leads at 88, followed by Fort Wayne (92) and Indianapolis (95). Note: a low healthcare index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below.
Now, the part that complicates the narrative: Here's the state-level backdrop: Indiana averages a 89 cost index, $1,175/mo — we had to double-check this one — rent, and $58,513 income across 3 cities. That's more or less in line with the region. That's $720 less than the national rent average. Solidly affordable Rust Belt living — and that context shapes every city in this ranking (more on that below).
Bottom line: Evansville leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. 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. I'll say what the data can't: this city punches above its weight in ways that don't show up in a spreadsheet. There's a reason people who move here tend to stay. You can call it quality of life, you can call it vibes, whatever — the point is, the cost structure gives people room to actually enjoy where they live, and that's increasingly rare in this country.
115,332 residents · Indiana
Evansville earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 85 cost index sits 27 points below the national baseline, and the $52,251 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $194,790 — $272,580 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 63, while Healthcare trails at 88.
269,994 residents · Indiana
A closer look at Fort Wayne: the cost index of 90 — we had to double-check this one — breaks down to a Housing index of 74 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 92 (weakest). Median rent is $1,160/month — 39% below the national median — while household income sits at $60,293, meaning locals spend about 23% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
879,293 residents · Indiana
Here's Indianapolis by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 92. Rent: $1,356/month — we had to double-check this one — . Income: $62,995/year. Home price: $226,528. Population: 879,293. The strongest category is Housing at 80; the most expensive is Healthcare at 95. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $6,468 per year vs. the national median. That adds up much faster than people realize.
Evansville ranks #1 in Indiana for this analysis with a cost index of 85 and median income of $52,251.
Evansville, IN has the lowest healthcare index at 88, compared to the national average of 100.
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.
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.