Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Lansing, MI
🏆 Evansville leads 14 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
116,906 ✓ Larger
Lansing
Michigan
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8
Median Household Income
$50,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
354⚠ High
Population
112,986
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
10% less violent crime than Lansing
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (5.7%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 42°F vs 31°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Lansing
Cons
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
Lansing, MI
Pros
More college-educated — 29.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.8)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 89°F
Cons
Violent crime (1345.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2499.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.3% vs 5.7%)
Snowy winters — about 50" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 92.8 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Violent Crime
10% lower
1206.2 vs 1345.1 per 100k
Evansville
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
5.7% vs 8.3% unemployment
Evansville
Summer Heat
6.2°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 82.8°F
Lansing
Median Income
$894
$50,747 vs $49,853/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Lansing, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 92.8 |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 | $112,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $954 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $50,747 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 19.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 10.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 260⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High ✓ Safer | 354⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 29.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% | 90.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Lansing Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F ✓ Warmer | 30.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 82.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 33.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" ✓ Less | 50.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 ✓ Larger | 112,986 |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 53.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Lansing's 92.8 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Evansville leads 14 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 14 and Lansing wins 9. 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 Lansing or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $112,200 median home), income ($49,853 vs $50,747), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Lansing, MI are about 362 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.