Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bend, OR
VS
Evansville, IN
🏆 Bend leads 15 of 23 categories
Bend
Oregon
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,671 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
99,442
Evansville
Indiana
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bend, OR
Pros
86% less violent crime than Evansville
Households earn $32,818 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (168.5 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 48.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (3.8%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 89°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $576,900
Higher rents — median is $1,649/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Evansville
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $456k less ($121,100 vs $576,900)
Rent averages $732/mo less ($917 vs $1,649)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Bend
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bend by $32,818/yr
Violent crime (1206.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3678.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bend
Median Income
$32,818
$82,671 vs $49,853/yr
Bend
Violent Crime
86% lower
168.5 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Bend
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.7% unemployment
Evansville
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 105.8 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$456k less
$121,100 vs $576,900
Evansville
Summer Heat
5.2°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 83.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bend, OR | Evansville, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.8⚠ High | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $576,900⚠ High | $121,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,649⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,671 ✓ Higher | $49,853 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter | 18.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.0% ✓ Higher | 4.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 261⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 317⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% ✓ Higher | 22.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 89.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bend-LaPine Administrative SD 1 | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.5°F ✓ Warmer | 42.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.8°F | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.6" ✓ Drier | 47.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.6" | 10.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,442 | 116,906 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 38.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% ✓ Higher | 54.2% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 21.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.0% ✓ More | 16.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend's cost of living index is 105.8 vs Evansville's 89.8 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bend leads 15 of 23 categories. Bend wins 15 and Evansville wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Bend to Evansville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($576,900 vs $121,100 median home), income ($82,671 vs $49,853), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bend, OR and Evansville, IN are about 1,796 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.