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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 111. Indianapolis stands out at 79 on the index, with rent of $1,356/month and household income of $62,995. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
| 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 |
#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
The numbers are clear: 3 of 3 cities in Indiana beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Indianapolis stands out at 79 on the index, with rent of $1,356/month and household income of $62,995. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers for Indianapolis are straightforward: 79 on the cost index, $1,356/month rent, $62,995 income. And broadly, not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That's a reasonable number.
And here's what ties it all together: The 3 cities we track in Indiana paint a clearly affordable picture. Average cost index: 69. Median rent: $1,175/month. Household income: $58,513. Indiana is known for solidly affordable Rust Belt living — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
Bottom line: Indianapolis 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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Indianapolis | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $47,343 |
2Evansville | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $47,343 |
3Fort Wayne | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $47,343 |
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
At $1,010/month for rent and a cost index of 59, Evansville is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Income is $52,251. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
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.
We divide median home price by median household income for each city in Indiana. A ratio of 3× means a home costs 3 years of gross income — generally considered affordable. Ratios above 5× signal a stretched market. 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.
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.