Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
Evansville, IN
🏆 Chesapeake leads 16 of 23 categories
Chesapeake
Virginia
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$92,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
249,377 ✓ Larger
Evansville
Indiana
7
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.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
Households earn $42,850 more per year on average
72% less violent crime than Evansville
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 35.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 54°F vs 42°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,500
Higher rents — median is $1,446/mo
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Evansville
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $218k less ($121,100 vs $339,500)
Rent averages $529/mo less ($917 vs $1,446)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Chesapeake
Cons
Median income trails Chesapeake by $42,850/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 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Median Income
$42,850
$92,703 vs $49,853/yr
Chesapeake
Violent Crime
72% lower
339.4 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Chesapeake
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.7% unemployment
Chesapeake
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 89.0°F
Evansville
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$218k less
$121,100 vs $339,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | Evansville, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High | $121,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 ✓ Higher | $49,853 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 4.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 ✓ Safer | 261⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 317⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% ✓ Higher | 22.4% |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% ✓ Higher | 89.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F ✓ Warmer | 42.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer | 89.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" | 47.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" ✓ Less | 10.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 ✓ Larger | 116,906 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 54.2% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 21.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 16.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Evansville's 89.8 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Chesapeake leads 16 of 23 categories. Chesapeake wins 16 and Evansville wins 7. 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 Chesapeake to Evansville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $121,100 median home), income ($92,703 vs $49,853), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and Evansville, IN are about 623 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.