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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 — for better or worse — . Leading the pack: Evansville at index 59, where median rent of $1,010/month saves renters $10,620/year versus the national median.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evansville | 59 | $1,010 | Details |
| 2 | Fort Wayne | 68 | $1,160 | Details |
| 3 | Indianapolis | 79 | $1,356 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Evansville — cost index 59, rent $1,010/mo, income $52,251
Evansville rent up 6% over the past year
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
Dollar for dollar, few states match Indiana's value. 3 out of 3 cities undercut the national cost index of 111 — for better or worse — . Leading the pack: Evansville at index 59, where median rent of $1,010/month saves renters $10,620/year versus the national median.
Rent data is sourced from Zillow's Observed Rent Index (ZORI), which tracks the median rent across all active listings — not just new leases. This gives a more representative and stable signal than asking prices alone. Evansville: $1,010/mo — make of that what you will — , Fort Wayne: $1,160/mo, Indianapolis: $1,356/mo. The cheapest city here is $885 under the national median — that's $10,620/year in savings on rent alone.
A closer look at Evansville: the cost index of 59 — for better or worse — breaks down to a Housing index of 59 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 92 (weakest). 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).
Evansville rent up 6% over the past year. And in practical terms, rent in #1-ranked Evansville has increased from $951 to $1,010/mo over the past 12 months — a 6% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time (that's pre-tax, of course).
Bottom line: Evansville leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And depending on your situation, 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.
115,332 residents · Indiana
Why Evansville ranks #1: 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 — for better or worse — 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
Here's Fort Wayne by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 68. Rent: $1,160/month — for better or worse — . Income: $60,293/year. Home price: $238,593. Population: 269,994. The strongest category is Housing at 68; the most expensive is Healthcare at 94. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $8,820 per year vs. the national median. If you're debt-free, those savings go straight to building wealth (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
879,293 residents · Indiana
Why Indianapolis ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. At 79 on the cost index, residents save roughly 32% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,356/month — and that's before you even look at taxes — while the median household pulls in $62,995/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 79, though Healthcare (96) lags behind. Fairly typical for a city this size. Home prices average $226,528 — $240,842 below the national median.
Evansville ranks #1 in Indiana for this analysis with a cost index of 59 and median income of $52,251.
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 59 and rent of $1,010/mo, while Indianapolis (ranked #3) has a cost index of 79 and rent of $1,356/mo — a 20-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.