Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Tampa 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
Tampa
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $212k less ($121,100 vs $333,200)
Rent averages $505/mo less ($917 vs $1,422)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Tampa
Commutes run 6 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 Tampa by $16,949/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
Tampa, FL
Pros
63% less violent crime than Evansville
Households earn $16,949 more per year on average
More college-educated — 43.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 42°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.2%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $333,200
Higher rents — median is $1,422/mo
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Evansville
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$212k less
$121,100 vs $333,200
Tampa
Median Income
$16,949
$66,802 vs $49,853/yr
Tampa
Violent Crime
63% lower
444.6 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Tampa
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.2% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $333,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $1,422⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $66,802 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 24.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 16.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 43.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" ✓ Drier | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 35.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tampa leads 12 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 11 and Tampa 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 Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $333,200 median home), income ($49,853 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Tampa, FL are about 752 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.