Living Cost Compare
Evansville

Indiana

$950/mo est.

vs
Fresno

California

$1,370/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $950 in Evansville, IN versus $1,370 in Fresno, CA. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 31% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fresno, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $66,804 in Fresno, CA — about 22% higher in Fresno, CA. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Evansville, IN
Fresno, CA

Rent

Studio
$741
$1,072
+45% in Fresno, CA
1 Bedroom
$768
$1,042
+36% in Fresno, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,022
$1,293
+27% in Fresno, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,167
$1,688
+45% in Fresno, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$129,100
$348,500
+170% in Fresno, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$52,251
$66,804
+28% in Fresno, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,540
$46,910
+1% in Fresno, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
32.4 yr
+5.7 yr in Evansville, IN
Homeownership
53.9%
49.7%
+4.2 pp in Evansville, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
24.9%
+2.6 pp in Fresno, CA
Avg Commute
18.7 min
22.3 min
+3.6 min in Fresno, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,210.5
742.2
+39% in Evansville, IN
Property Crime
3,716.2
3,335.3
+10% 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
64.4°F
+8.0°F in Fresno, CA
Annual Precipitation
45.3 in
11.5 in
+33.8 in in Evansville, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.40/gal
+37% in Fresno, CA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.25

Adult base one-way fare — — vs FAX (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.1
33.3
+83% in Fresno, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$20.72
+51% in Fresno, CA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Fresno, CA
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$2.04
+23% in Fresno, CA
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Evansville, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Fresno, CA
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Evansville, IN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Fresno, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / CA)
7%
7.25%
+0.3 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
13.30%
+10.4 pp in CA

Evansville vs Fresno — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Fresno?
Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Fresno, CA's $1,370, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Fresno?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $42,000 in Fresno.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Fresno?
Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Fresno under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).