Is it cheaper to live in Cambridge or Evansville?

Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 65% below Cambridge, MA's $2,810, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Cambridge than in Evansville?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $100,000 a year in Cambridge versus $31,000 in Evansville.

Which has lower taxes, Cambridge or Evansville?

Cambridge is taxed under Massachusetts's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax); Evansville under Indiana's (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax).

Cambridge vs Evansville Cost of Living 2026

Cambridge

Massachusetts

$2,810/mo est.

Evansville

Indiana

$970/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,810 in Cambridge, MA versus $970 in Evansville, IN. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 65% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $126,469 in Cambridge, MA and $52,251 in Evansville, IN — about 59% higher in Cambridge, MA. Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax; Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax.

Cambridge, MA

Evansville, IN

Rent

Studio

$2,236

$741

+67% in Cambridge, MA

1 Bedroom

$2,496

$768

+69% in Cambridge, MA

2 Bedroom

$2,980

$1,022

+66% in Cambridge, MA

3 Bedroom

$3,325

$1,167

+65% in Cambridge, MA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$1,040,500

$129,100

+88% in Cambridge, MA

Income

Median Household Income

$126,469

$52,251

+59% in Cambridge, MA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$66,620

$46,540

+30% in Cambridge, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

30.5 yr

38.1 yr

+7.6 yr in Evansville, IN

Homeownership

33.7%

53.9%

+20.2 pp in Evansville, IN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

80.2%

22.3%

+57.9 pp in Cambridge, MA

Avg Commute

26.1 min

18.7 min

+7.4 min in Cambridge, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

436.7

1,210.5

+177% in Evansville, IN

Property Crime

2,657.6

3,716.2

+40% in Evansville, IN

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

51.5°F

56.4°F

+4.9°F in Evansville, IN

Annual Precipitation

43.8 in

45.3 in

+1.5 in in Evansville, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.07/gal

$3.85/gal

+5% in Cambridge, MA

Area: Massachusetts vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

29.6

17.5

+41% in Cambridge, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.66

$24.52

+20% in Cambridge, MA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.66

+14% in Cambridge, MA

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Evansville, IN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.77

+2% in Cambridge, MA

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.10

+4% in Cambridge, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Cambridge, MA

Average prices — Northeast vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MA / IN)

6.25%

+0.8 pp in IN

Income Tax (top rate)

9.00%

2.95%

+6.0 pp in MA

Cambridge vs Evansville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cambridge or Evansville?: Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 65% below Cambridge, MA's $2,810, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cambridge than in Evansville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $100,000 a year in Cambridge versus $31,000 in Evansville.
Which has lower taxes, Cambridge or Evansville?: Cambridge is taxed under Massachusetts's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax); Evansville under Indiana's (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).