Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Los Angeles, CA
🏆 Evansville leads 13 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906
Los Angeles
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,244 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
192⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
3,881,041 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $702k less ($121,100 vs $822,600)
Rent averages $874/mo less ($917 vs $1,791)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Los Angeles
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (5.7%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Cons
Median income trails Los Angeles by $26,391/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
Los Angeles, CA
Pros
Households earn $26,391 more per year on average
40% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 36.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 42°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 78°F vs 89°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $822,600
Higher rents — median is $1,791/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Evansville
Violent crime (728.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
26% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$702k less
$121,100 vs $822,600
Evansville
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
5.7% vs 7.7% unemployment
Evansville
Summer Heat
11.0°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 78.0°F
Los Angeles
Median Income
$26,391
$76,244 vs $49,853/yr
Los Angeles
Violent Crime
40% lower
728.5 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Los Angeles, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $822,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $1,791⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $76,244 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 15.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 143⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 192⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 36.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Los Angeles Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 14.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 3,881,041 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 36.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% ✓ More | 19.7% |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Los Angeles's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Evansville leads 13 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 13 and Los Angeles wins 10. 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 Los Angeles or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $822,600 median home), income ($49,853 vs $76,244), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Los Angeles, CA are about 1,739 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.