Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 16 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906
Thousand Oaks
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $780k less ($121,100 vs $900,600)
Rent averages $1566/mo less ($917 vs $2,483)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Thousand Oaks
Commutes run 7 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 Thousand Oaks by $75,546/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
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.8%)
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
Households earn $75,546 more per year on average
92% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.8%)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 42°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Evansville
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$780k less
$121,100 vs $900,600
Evansville
Summer Heat
11.0°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 78.0°F
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$75,546
$125,399 vs $49,853/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
92% lower
102.2 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Thousand Oaks, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $900,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $125,399 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 25.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 18.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 49.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 126,532 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.1% ✓ More | 20.3% |
| Over 65 | 16.6% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 16 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 7 and Thousand Oaks wins 16. 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 Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $900,600 median home), income ($49,853 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 1,761 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.