Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Berkeley, CA
VS
Evansville, IN
🏆 Berkeley leads 12 of 23 categories
Berkeley
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,716 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
168⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
121,385 ✓ Larger
Evansville
Indiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Berkeley, CA
Pros
Households earn $54,863 more per year on average
47% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 73.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 42°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 89°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,280,300
Higher rents — median is $2,067/mo
Cost of living runs 28% higher than Evansville
Violent crime (638.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $1159k less ($121,100 vs $1,280,300)
Rent averages $1150/mo less ($917 vs $2,067)
28% cheaper overall cost of living than Berkeley
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Berkeley by $54,863/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
Key Differences at a Glance
Berkeley
Median Income
$54,863
$104,716 vs $49,853/yr
Berkeley
Violent Crime
47% lower
638.8 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Evansville
Cost of Living
28% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$1159k less
$121,100 vs $1,280,300
Evansville
Summer Heat
14.8°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Berkeley, CA | Evansville, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,280,300⚠ High | $121,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,067⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,716 ✓ Higher | $49,853 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 4.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 200⚠ High ✓ Safer | 261⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 168⚠ High ✓ Safer | 317⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 249⚠ High | 175⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.8% ✓ Higher | 22.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 89.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Berkeley Unified | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.9°F ✓ Warmer | 42.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.1" ✓ Drier | 47.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 10.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,385 ✓ Larger | 116,906 |
| Median Age | 32.5 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.3% | 54.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 21.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% | 16.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Berkeley's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Evansville's 89.8 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 28% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Berkeley leads 12 of 23 categories. Berkeley wins 12 and Evansville wins 11. 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 Berkeley to Evansville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,280,300 vs $121,100 median home), income ($104,716 vs $49,853), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Berkeley, CA and Evansville, IN are about 1,883 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.