Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Topeka, KS
🏆 Topeka leads 17 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906
Topeka
Kansas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,052 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
225⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
126,431 ✓ Larger
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)
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
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 5.0%)
Median income trails Topeka by $4,199/yr
Topeka, KS
Pros
29% less violent crime than Evansville
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 28.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.9)
Households earn $4,199 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 12.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (856.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3642.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Topeka
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 85.9 vs 89.8 (100 = US avg)
Topeka
Median Income
$4,199
$54,052 vs $49,853/yr
Topeka
Violent Crime
29% lower
856.5 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Topeka
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Topeka, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 | 85.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $124,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $926 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $54,052 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 8.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 205⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 225⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 173⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B (102) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 | 12.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 28.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Topeka Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F ✓ Warmer | 39.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 88.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 37.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" ✓ Less | 17.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 126,431 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 37.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 59.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 22.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Topeka's 85.9 (US average = 100).
Topeka is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Topeka leads 17 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 6 and Topeka wins 17. 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 Topeka or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $124,700 median home), income ($49,853 vs $54,052), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Topeka, KS are about 447 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.