Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 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
Santa Ana
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $503k less ($121,100 vs $624,000)
Rent averages $968/mo less ($917 vs $1,885)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
More college-educated — 22.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Santa Ana by $34,357/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
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Households earn $34,357 more per year on average
59% less violent crime than Evansville
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 42°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 89°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Higher rents — median is $1,885/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Evansville
Violent crime (493.1/100k) 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
$503k less
$121,100 vs $624,000
Evansville
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 82.5°F
Santa Ana
Median Income
$34,357
$84,210 vs $49,853/yr
Santa Ana
Violent Crime
59% lower
493.1 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Santa Ana, 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 | $624,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $1,885⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $84,210 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 25.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 8.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 81 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Santa Ana 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 | 311,379 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 44.8% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Santa Ana's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Evansville leads 12 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 12 and Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $624,000 median home), income ($49,853 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Santa Ana, CA are about 1,717 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.