Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Torrance, CA
🏆 Torrance 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
Torrance
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,554 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
82 ✓ Safer
Population
145,454 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $841k less ($121,100 vs $962,300)
Rent averages $1215/mo less ($917 vs $2,132)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Torrance
Commutes run 9 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 Torrance by $59,701/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
Torrance, CA
Pros
Households earn $59,701 more per year on average
74% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 42°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 76°F vs 89°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $962,300
Higher rents — median is $2,132/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Evansville
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
26% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$841k less
$121,100 vs $962,300
Evansville
Summer Heat
13.4°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 75.6°F
Torrance
Median Income
$59,701
$109,554 vs $49,853/yr
Torrance
Violent Crime
74% lower
311.2 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Torrance, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $962,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $2,132⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $109,554 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 27.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 15.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 102⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 132⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 25.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 52.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% | 95.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | Torrance Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 75.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 13.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 145,454 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 54.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.1% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 16.6% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Torrance's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Torrance leads 16 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 7 and Torrance 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 Torrance or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $962,300 median home), income ($49,853 vs $109,554), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Torrance, CA are about 1,740 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.