Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carmel, IN
VS
Evansville, IN
🏆 Carmel leads 13 of 23 categories
Carmel
Indiana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6
Median Household Income
$132,859 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
17 ✓ Safer
Population
99,453
Evansville
Indiana
10
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.
Carmel, IN
Pros
Households earn $83,006 more per year on average
95% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 73.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (2.6%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (66.0 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $425,900
Higher rents — median is $1,499/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Evansville
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $305k less ($121,100 vs $425,900)
Rent averages $582/mo less ($917 vs $1,499)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 42°F vs 35°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Carmel by $83,006/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 2.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Carmel
Median Income
$83,006
$132,859 vs $49,853/yr
Carmel
Violent Crime
95% lower
66.0 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Carmel
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
2.6% vs 5.7% unemployment
Evansville
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 94.6 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$305k less
$121,100 vs $425,900
Evansville
Summer Heat
4.6°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carmel, IN | Evansville, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $425,900⚠ High | $121,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,499⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,859 ✓ Higher | $49,853 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 4.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 26 ✓ Safer | 261⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 317⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.7% ✓ Higher | 22.4% |
| High School or Higher | 98.1% ✓ Higher | 89.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carmel Clay Schools | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 42.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.2" ✓ Drier | 47.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.3" | 10.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,453 | 116,906 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 38.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.6% ✓ Higher | 54.2% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 21.1% |
| Over 65 | 14.7% | 16.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carmel's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Evansville's 89.8 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carmel leads 13 of 23 categories. Carmel wins 13 and Evansville wins 10. 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 Carmel to Evansville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,900 vs $121,100 median home), income ($132,859 vs $49,853), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carmel, IN and Evansville, IN are about 156 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.