Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Lakeland, FL
🏆 Lakeland leads 14 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906 ✓ Larger
Lakeland
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$58,290 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
15 ✓ Safer
Population
114,404
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $87k less ($121,100 vs $207,800)
Rent averages $300/mo less ($917 vs $1,217)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakeland
Commutes run 5 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 Lakeland by $8,437/yr
Property crime (3678.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Lakeland, FL
Pros
95% less violent crime than Evansville
Violent crime is well below the national average (56.0 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $8,437 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 74°F vs 42°F
More college-educated — 26.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Evansville
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 100.7 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$87k less
$121,100 vs $207,800
Lakeland
Median Income
$8,437
$58,290 vs $49,853/yr
Lakeland
Violent Crime
95% lower
56.0 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Lakeland
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Lakeland, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 100.7⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $207,800 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $1,217 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $58,290 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 23.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 8.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 15 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 15 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 17 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 26.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% | 90.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | POLK |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 73.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" ✓ Drier | 52.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 ✓ Larger | 114,404 |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 40.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 54.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.1% ✓ More | 18.8% |
| Over 65 | 16.6% | 21.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Lakeland's 100.7 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lakeland leads 14 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 9 and Lakeland wins 14. 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 Lakeland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $207,800 median home), income ($49,853 vs $58,290), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Lakeland, FL are about 758 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.