Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Lafayette, LA
🏆 Lafayette leads 15 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906
Lafayette
Louisiana
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,850 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
281⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
121,706 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $114k less ($121,100 vs $234,900)
Rent averages $105/mo less ($917 vs $1,022)
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 Lafayette by $8,997/yr
Property crime (3678.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Lafayette
Lafayette, LA
Pros
12% less violent crime than Evansville
Households earn $8,997 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 42°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.0)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Evansville
Cons
Violent crime (1066.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4347.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Median Home Value
$114k less
$121,100 vs $234,900
Lafayette
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 87.0 vs 89.8 (100 = US avg)
Lafayette
Median Income
$8,997
$58,850 vs $49,853/yr
Lafayette
Violent Crime
12% lower
1066.1 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Lafayette, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 | 87.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $234,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $1,022 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $58,850 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 20.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 8.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 251⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 281⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High ✓ Safer | 207⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B (100) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 40.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% | 90.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Lafayette Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 61.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" ✓ Drier | 64.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 121,706 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 36.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 56.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 21.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% | 16.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Lafayette's 87.0 (US average = 100).
Lafayette is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lafayette leads 15 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 8 and Lafayette wins 15. 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 Lafayette or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $234,900 median home), income ($49,853 vs $58,850), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Lafayette, LA are about 596 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.