Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
South Bend, IN
🏆 South Bend leads 12 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906 ✓ Larger
South Bend
Indiana
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4
Median Household Income
$49,056
Violent Crime Index
254⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
103,084
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 42°F vs 32°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
South Bend, IN
Pros
20% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 28.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 89°F
Cons
Violent crime (965.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 65" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 91.4 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Income
$797
$49,853 vs $49,056/yr
Evansville
Summer Heat
6.0°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 83.0°F
South Bend
Violent Crime
20% lower
965.0 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | South Bend, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 91.4 |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 | $113,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $935 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 ✓ Higher | $49,056 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 20.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 8.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 191⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 254⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B (99) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 28.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% ✓ Higher | 87.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | South Bend Community School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F ✓ Warmer | 31.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 83.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 40.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" ✓ Less | 64.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 ✓ Larger | 103,084 |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 58.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 26.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 13.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs South Bend's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, South Bend leads 12 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 11 and South Bend 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 South Bend or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $113,800 median home), income ($49,853 vs $49,056), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and South Bend, IN are about 264 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.