Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Shreveport, LA
🏆 Evansville leads 14 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8
Median Household Income
$49,853 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
116,906
Shreveport
Louisiana
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$45,967
Violent Crime Index
323⚠ High
Population
186,183 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $48k less ($121,100 vs $168,900)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.5 pts lower (5.7%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Households earn $3,886 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 94°F
Cons
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
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Shreveport
Shreveport, LA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 42°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.1)
More college-educated — 26.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Evansville
Cons
Violent crime (1228.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3990.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.2% vs 5.7%)
Median income trails Evansville by $3,886/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Median Income
$3,886
$49,853 vs $45,967/yr
Evansville
Violent Crime
2% lower
1206.2 vs 1228.5 per 100k
Evansville
Median Home Value
$48k less
$121,100 vs $168,900
Evansville
Unemployment
3.5 pp lower
5.7% vs 9.2% unemployment
Shreveport
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 87.1 vs 89.8 (100 = US avg)
Shreveport
Summer Heat
5.3°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Shreveport, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 | 87.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $168,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $945 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 ✓ Higher | $45,967 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 19.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 4.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High ✓ Safer | 270⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High ✓ Safer | 323⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High ✓ Safer | 190⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 26.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% ✓ Higher | 87.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Caddo Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 58.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" ✓ Drier | 51.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 186,183 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 53.8% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 23.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% | 17.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Shreveport's 87.1 (US average = 100).
Shreveport is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Evansville leads 14 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 14 and Shreveport wins 9. 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 Shreveport or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $168,900 median home), income ($49,853 vs $45,967), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Shreveport, LA are about 520 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.