Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Tacoma, WA
🏆 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
Tacoma
Washington
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$79,085 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
280⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
219,234 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $294k less ($121,100 vs $415,300)
Rent averages $572/mo less ($917 vs $1,489)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Tacoma
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Tacoma by $29,232/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
Tacoma, WA
Pros
Households earn $29,232 more per year on average
12% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 32.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 89°F
Milder winters — January highs near 48°F vs 42°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $415,300
Higher rents — median is $1,489/mo
Violent crime (1063.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Evansville
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$294k less
$121,100 vs $415,300
Evansville
Summer Heat
12.2°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 76.8°F
Tacoma
Median Income
$29,232
$79,085 vs $49,853/yr
Tacoma
Violent Crime
12% lower
1063.0 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Tacoma, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 113.0⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $415,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $1,489⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $79,085 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 12.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High ✓ Safer | 275⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 280⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High ✓ Safer | 267⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 32.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% | 90.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Tacoma School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 48.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 76.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 40.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 5.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 219,234 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 36.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 56.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.1% ✓ More | 19.7% |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 14.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Tacoma's 113.0 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Evansville leads 12 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 12 and Tacoma 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 Tacoma or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $415,300 median home), income ($49,853 vs $79,085), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Tacoma, WA are about 1,869 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.