Living Cost Compare
Evansville

Indiana

$950/mo est.

vs
Little Rock

Arkansas

$1,080/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $950 in Evansville, IN versus $1,080 in Little Rock, AR. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 12% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Little Rock, AR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $60,583 in Little Rock, AR — about 14% higher in Little Rock, 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
Little Rock, AR

Rent

Studio
$741
$981
+32% in Little Rock, AR
1 Bedroom
$768
$904
+18% in Little Rock, AR
2 Bedroom
$1,022
$1,064
+4% in Little Rock, AR
3 Bedroom
$1,167
$1,292
+11% in Little Rock, AR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$129,100
$221,200
+71% in Little Rock, AR

Income

Median Household Income
$52,251
$60,583
+16% in Little Rock, AR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,540
$45,790
+2% in Evansville, IN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
36.4 yr
+1.7 yr in Evansville, IN
Homeownership
53.9%
54.2%
+0.3 pp in Little Rock, AR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
44.0%
+21.7 pp in Little Rock, AR
Avg Commute
18.7 min
18.3 min
+0.4 min in Evansville, IN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,210.5
1,673
+38% in Little Rock, AR
Property Crime
3,716.2
5,251.5
+41% in Little Rock, AR

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
62.7°F
+6.3°F in Little Rock, AR
Annual Precipitation
45.3 in
49.8 in
+4.4 in in Little Rock, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.62/gal
+8% in Evansville, IN

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.1
14.4
+21% in Evansville, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$25.93
+89% in Little Rock, 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 Little Rock, 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 Little Rock — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Little Rock?
Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Little Rock, AR's $1,080, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Little Rock?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $36,000 in Little Rock.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Little Rock?
Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Little Rock 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).