Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boston, MA
VS
Evansville, IN
🏆 Evansville leads 13 of 23 categories
Boston
Massachusetts
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$89,212 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
165⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
665,945 ✓ Larger
Evansville
Indiana
13
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.
Boston, MA
Pros
Households earn $39,359 more per year on average
48% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 53.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 89°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $684,900
Higher rents — median is $1,981/mo
Violent crime (627.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Evansville
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $564k less ($121,100 vs $684,900)
Rent averages $1064/mo less ($917 vs $1,981)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Boston
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.7%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Cons
Median income trails Boston by $39,359/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
Boston
Median Income
$39,359
$89,212 vs $49,853/yr
Boston
Violent Crime
48% lower
627.9 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Evansville
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$564k less
$121,100 vs $684,900
Evansville
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.7% vs 6.6% unemployment
Evansville
Summer Heat
6.9°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 82.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boston, MA | Evansville, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $684,900⚠ High | $121,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,981⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $89,212 ✓ Higher | $49,853 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.6 min⚠ High | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.1% ✓ Higher | 4.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High ✓ Safer | 261⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 165⚠ High ✓ Safer | 317⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (122) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.4% ✓ Higher | 22.4% |
| High School or Higher | 88.4% | 89.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boston | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.8°F | 42.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6" ✓ Drier | 47.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 10.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 665,945 ✓ Larger | 116,906 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.8% | 54.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.7% | 21.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 16.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boston's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Evansville's 89.8 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Evansville leads 13 of 23 categories. Boston wins 10 and Evansville wins 13. 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 Boston to Evansville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($684,900 vs $121,100 median home), income ($89,212 vs $49,853), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boston, MA and Evansville, IN are about 921 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.