Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Salinas, 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
Salinas
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,250 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
138⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
162,783 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $453k less ($121,100 vs $573,600)
Rent averages $878/mo less ($917 vs $1,795)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Salinas
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 22.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Cons
Median income trails Salinas by $34,397/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 5.0%)
Salinas, CA
Pros
Households earn $34,397 more per year on average
57% less violent crime than Evansville
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.0%)
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 42°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 71°F vs 89°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $573,600
Higher rents — median is $1,795/mo
Violent crime (524.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Evansville
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$453k less
$121,100 vs $573,600
Evansville
Summer Heat
18.3°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 70.7°F
Salinas
Median Income
$34,397
$84,250 vs $49,853/yr
Salinas
Violent Crime
57% lower
524.5 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Salinas
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Salinas, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 113.0⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $573,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $1,795⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $84,250 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 25.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% ✓ Higher | 3.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 138⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | C- (57) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% ✓ Higher | 15.0% |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% ✓ Higher | 62.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Alisal Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 62.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 70.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 12.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 162,783 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 31.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 47.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 29.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 9.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Salinas's 113.0 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Evansville leads 13 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 13 and Salinas 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 Salinas or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $573,600 median home), income ($49,853 vs $84,250), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Salinas, CA are about 1,865 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.