Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clearwater, FL
VS
Evansville, IN
🏆 Clearwater leads 16 of 23 categories
Clearwater
Florida
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
116,984 ✓ 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.
Clearwater, FL
Pros
67% less violent crime than Evansville
Households earn $9,505 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 42°F
More college-educated — 31.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,389/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Evansville
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $167k less ($121,100 vs $287,900)
Rent averages $472/mo less ($917 vs $1,389)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Clearwater
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1206.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Clearwater by $9,505/yr
Property crime (3678.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Clearwater
Median Income
$9,505
$59,358 vs $49,853/yr
Clearwater
Violent Crime
67% lower
395.5 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Clearwater
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.7% unemployment
Evansville
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$167k less
$121,100 vs $287,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clearwater, FL | Evansville, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $287,900 | $121,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,389⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,358 ✓ Higher | $49,853 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 4.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 ✓ Safer | 261⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer | 317⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.9% ✓ Higher | 22.4% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 89.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer | 42.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer | 89.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.1" | 47.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 10.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,984 ✓ Larger | 116,906 |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 38.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.8% ✓ Higher | 54.2% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 21.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 23.5% ✓ More | 16.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clearwater's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Evansville's 89.8 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clearwater leads 16 of 23 categories. Clearwater 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 Clearwater to Evansville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($287,900 vs $121,100 median home), income ($59,358 vs $49,853), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clearwater, FL and Evansville, IN are about 744 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.