Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Santa Monica, CA
🏆 Santa Monica leads 12 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906 ✓ Larger
Santa Monica
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,797 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
205⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
92,168
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $1534k less ($121,100 vs $1,654,800)
Rent averages $1310/mo less ($917 vs $2,227)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Monica
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.7%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Cons
Median income trails Santa Monica by $56,944/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 Monica, CA
Pros
Households earn $56,944 more per year on average
35% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 67.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 42°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 69°F vs 89°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,654,800
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Evansville
Violent crime (778.0/100k) 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
$1534k less
$121,100 vs $1,654,800
Evansville
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.7% vs 6.2% unemployment
Evansville
Summer Heat
19.6°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 69.4°F
Santa Monica
Median Income
$56,944
$106,797 vs $49,853/yr
Santa Monica
Violent Crime
35% lower
778.0 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Santa Monica, 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 | $1,654,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $2,227⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $106,797 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 25.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 27.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 214⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 205⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High ✓ Safer | 228⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | A- (114) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 67.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% | 94.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Santa Monica-Malibu Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 62.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 69.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 12.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 ✓ Larger | 92,168 |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 42.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 28.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% ✓ More | 15.0% |
| Over 65 | 16.6% | 18.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Santa Monica's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Monica leads 12 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 11 and Santa Monica wins 12. 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 Monica or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $1,654,800 median home), income ($49,853 vs $106,797), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Santa Monica, CA are about 1,744 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.