Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Federal Way, WA
🏆 Federal Way leads 12 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906 ✓ Larger
Federal Way
Washington
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$80,360 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
144⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
99,614
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $333k less ($121,100 vs $454,300)
Rent averages $743/mo less ($917 vs $1,660)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Federal Way
Commutes run 15 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 Federal Way by $30,507/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
Federal Way, WA
Pros
Households earn $30,507 more per year on average
55% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 30.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 89°F
Milder winters — January highs near 48°F vs 42°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $454,300
Higher rents — median is $1,660/mo
Violent crime (545.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Evansville
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$333k less
$121,100 vs $454,300
Evansville
Summer Heat
12.2°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 76.8°F
Federal Way
Median Income
$30,507
$80,360 vs $49,853/yr
Federal Way
Violent Crime
55% lower
545.4 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Federal Way, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 113.0⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $454,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $1,660⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $80,360 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 33.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 10.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 169⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 144⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High ✓ Safer | 208⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 30.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% | 90.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Federal Way School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 48.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 76.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 40.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 6.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 ✓ Larger | 99,614 |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 37.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 55.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 23.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 14.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Federal Way's 113.0 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Federal Way leads 12 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 11 and Federal Way wins 12. 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 Evansville to Federal Way or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $454,300 median home), income ($49,853 vs $80,360), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Federal Way, WA are about 1,864 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.