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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: Evansville at index 59, where median rent of $1,010/month saves renters $10,620/year versus the national median.
#1 Ranked: Evansville — cost index 59, rent $1,010/mo, income $52,251
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. 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, 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.
Evansville comes in at #1. Rent is $1,010 a month. Household income is $52,251. The cost of living index is 59. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is.
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.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evansville | $1,010 | 59 | Details |
| 2 | Fort Wayne | $1,160 | 68 | Details |
| 3 | Indianapolis | $1,356 | 79 | Details |
115,332 residents · Indiana
The #1 spot goes to Evansville, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,010/month — saving renters $10,620 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 59, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 92. At a 23% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
269,994 residents · Indiana
Fort Wayne earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 68 cost index sits 43 points below the national baseline, and the $60,293 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $238,593 — $228,777 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 68, while Healthcare trails at 94.
879,293 residents · Indiana
Frankly, 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. No major red flags in that number. 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.
Cities are ranked by median 1-bedroom rent from Zillow's Observed Rent Index (ZORI). ZORI reflects the median rent across all listed units, not just new leases, providing a more stable and representative figure. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
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.