Living Cost Compare
Evansville

Indiana

$950/mo est.

vs
Houston

Texas

$1,360/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $950 in Evansville, IN versus $1,360 in Houston, TX. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 30% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Houston, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $62,894 in Houston, TX — about 17% higher in Houston, TX. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Evansville, IN
Houston, TX

Rent

Studio
$741
$1,142
+54% in Houston, TX
1 Bedroom
$768
$1,156
+51% in Houston, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,022
$1,375
+35% in Houston, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,167
$1,664
+43% in Houston, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$129,100
$253,400
+96% in Houston, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$52,251
$62,894
+20% in Houston, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,540
$49,410
+6% in Houston, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
34.3 yr
+3.8 yr in Evansville, IN
Homeownership
53.9%
42.0%
+11.9 pp in Evansville, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
36.0%
+13.7 pp in Houston, TX
Avg Commute
18.7 min
27.3 min
+8.6 min in Houston, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,210.5
1,153.8
+5% in Evansville, IN
Property Crime
3,716.2
4,324.9
+16% in Houston, TX

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
70.3°F
+13.9°F in Houston, TX
Annual Precipitation
45.3 in
54.6 in
+9.3 in in Houston, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.52/gal
+11% in Evansville, IN

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Houston.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.1
16.4
+9% in Evansville, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$30.48
+122% in Houston, TX

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 Houston, TX
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 / TX)
7%
6.25%
+0.8 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
None
+3.0 pp in IN

Evansville vs Houston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Houston?
Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Houston, TX's $1,360, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Houston?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $46,000 in Houston.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Houston?
Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Houston under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).