Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Salt Lake City, UT
🏆 Evansville leads 12 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906
Salt Lake City
Utah
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.7
Median Household Income
$72,357 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
227⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
201,269 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $338k less ($121,100 vs $458,600)
Rent averages $337/mo less ($917 vs $1,254)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Salt Lake City
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Salt Lake City by $22,504/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 3.6%)
Salt Lake City, UT
Pros
Households earn $22,504 more per year on average
28% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 50.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (3.6%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $458,600
Violent crime (864.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5200.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Evansville
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 97.7 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$338k less
$121,100 vs $458,600
Salt Lake City
Median Income
$22,504
$72,357 vs $49,853/yr
Salt Lake City
Violent Crime
28% lower
864.2 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Salt Lake City
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
3.6% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Salt Lake City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 97.7 |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $458,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $1,254 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $72,357 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 3.6% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 19.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 15.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 236⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 227⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B+ (105) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 50.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% | 91.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Salt Lake District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F ✓ Warmer | 39.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 91.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 17.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" ✓ Less | 49.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 201,269 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 32.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 47.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% ✓ More | 18.0% |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 11.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Salt Lake City's 97.7 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Evansville leads 12 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 12 and Salt Lake City wins 11. 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 Salt Lake City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $458,600 median home), income ($49,853 vs $72,357), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Salt Lake City, UT are about 1,313 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.