Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Orange, CA
🏆 Orange leads 13 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906
Orange
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $727k less ($121,100 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $1231/mo less ($917 vs $2,148)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Commutes run 8 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 Orange by $59,482/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
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.7%)
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $59,482 more per year on average
81% less violent crime than Evansville
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 42°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Evansville
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
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
$727k less
$121,100 vs $848,200
Evansville
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 82.5°F
Orange
Median Income
$59,482
$109,335 vs $49,853/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
81% lower
226.1 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Orange, 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 | $848,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $2,148⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $109,335 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 14.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 60 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 60 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 40.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% ✓ Higher | 88.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Orange Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 138,728 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 58.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.1% ✓ More | 20.5% |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Orange's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Orange leads 13 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 10 and Orange wins 13. 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 Orange or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $848,200 median home), income ($49,853 vs $109,335), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Orange, CA are about 1,714 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.