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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. And from what we can tell, 3 out of 3 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Evansville at index 59, where median rent of $1,010/month saves renters $10,620/year versus the national median (we double-checked this one).
| Rank | City | Transportation Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evansville | 90 | 59 | $1,010 | Details |
| 2 | Fort Wayne | 92 | 68 | $1,160 | Details |
| 3 | Indianapolis | 95 | 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. And from what we can tell, 3 out of 3 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Evansville at index 59, where median rent of $1,010/month saves renters $10,620/year versus the national median (we double-checked this one).
Evansville is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,010/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 59. Income sits at $52,251. Pretty standard for this type of city.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours. There's an argument to be made — and I think the data supports it — that the cities getting all the attention right now are exactly the wrong places to move. The spotlight drives migration, migration drives demand, demand drives costs, and eventually the value proposition disappears. Meanwhile, cities like this one keep quietly being affordable, and the people who find them early are the ones who benefit most.
115,332 residents · Indiana
Look, Evansville earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And in practical terms, the 59 cost index sits 52 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 59, while Healthcare trails at 92.
269,994 residents · Indiana
So, Fort Wayne. Cost index of 68, rent at $1,160/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $60,293, which is below the national median. That's more or less in line with the region. Solidly above average.
879,293 residents · Indiana
Indianapolis is one of the cheaper options here. And for many people, rent is $1,356/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 79. Income sits at $62,995. It lines up with what you'd expect.
Evansville ranks #1 in Indiana for this analysis with a cost index of 59 and median income of $52,251.
Evansville, IN has the lowest transportation index at 90, 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 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.