Living Cost Compare
Evansville

Indiana

$970/mo est.

vs
Hartford

Connecticut

$1,300/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $970 in Evansville, IN versus $1,300 in Hartford, CT. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Hartford, CT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $45,300 in Hartford, CT — about 13% higher in Evansville, IN. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Connecticut has a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax.

Evansville, IN
Hartford, CT

Rent

Studio
$741
$973
+31% in Hartford, CT
1 Bedroom
$768
$1,042
+36% in Hartford, CT
2 Bedroom
$1,022
$1,296
+27% in Hartford, CT
3 Bedroom
$1,167
$1,433
+23% in Hartford, CT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$129,100
$217,200
+68% in Hartford, CT

Income

Median Household Income
$52,251
$45,300
+13% in Evansville, IN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,540
$59,940
+29% in Hartford, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
33.4 yr
+4.7 yr in Evansville, IN
Homeownership
53.9%
25.7%
+28.2 pp in Evansville, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
18.3%
+4.0 pp in Evansville, IN
Avg Commute
18.7 min
22.8 min
+4.1 min in Hartford, CT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,210.5
527.5
+56% in Evansville, IN
Property Crime
3,716.2
2,949.2
+21% 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
51.2°F
+5.2°F in Evansville, IN
Annual Precipitation
45.3 in
43.6 in
+1.7 in in Evansville, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Hartford, CT

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
17.5
24.3
+39% in Hartford, CT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.52
$23.33
+5% in Evansville, IN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.92
+16% in Hartford, CT
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Evansville, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.90
+2% in Hartford, CT
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.19
+4% in Hartford, CT
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Hartford, CT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / CT)
7%
6.35%
+0.7 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
6.99%
+4.0 pp in CT

Evansville vs Hartford — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Hartford?
Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Hartford, CT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Hartford?
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 Hartford.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Hartford?
Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Hartford under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% 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).