Living Cost Compare
Evansville

Indiana

$970/mo est.

vs
Fayetteville

Arkansas

$990/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $970 in Evansville, IN versus $990 in Fayetteville, AR. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fayetteville, AR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $59,074 in Fayetteville, AR — about 12% higher in Fayetteville, AR. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Evansville, IN
Fayetteville, AR

Rent

Studio
$741
$709
+4% in Evansville, IN
1 Bedroom
$768
$817
+6% in Fayetteville, AR
2 Bedroom
$1,022
$999
+2% in Evansville, IN
3 Bedroom
$1,167
$1,430
+23% in Fayetteville, AR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$129,100
$322,500
+150% in Fayetteville, AR

Income

Median Household Income
$52,251
$59,074
+13% in Fayetteville, AR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,540
$46,610
+0% in Fayetteville, AR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
28.7 yr
+9.4 yr in Evansville, IN
Homeownership
53.9%
41.9%
+12.0 pp in Evansville, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
49.8%
+27.5 pp in Fayetteville, AR
Avg Commute
18.7 min
18.2 min
+0.5 min in Evansville, IN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,210.5
429.4
+65% in Evansville, IN
Property Crime
3,716.2
2,392.2
+36% 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
56.4°F
57.1°F
+0.7°F in Fayetteville, AR
Annual Precipitation
45.3 in
48.5 in
+3.2 in in Fayetteville, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.62/gal
+6% in Evansville, IN

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
17.5
14.1
+19% in Evansville, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.52
$27.86
+14% in Fayetteville, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Evansville, IN
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in Fayetteville, AR
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Evansville, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Evansville, IN
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Evansville, IN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / AR)
7%
6.5%
+0.5 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
3.90%
+0.9 pp in AR

Evansville vs Fayetteville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Fayetteville?
Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Fayetteville, AR's $990, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Fayetteville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $33,000 in Fayetteville.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Fayetteville?
Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Fayetteville under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% 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).