Living Cost Compare
Evansville

Indiana

$950/mo est.

vs
Louisville

Kentucky

$1,060/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $950 in Evansville, IN versus $1,060 in Louisville, KY. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Louisville, KY, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $64,731 in Louisville, KY — about 19% higher in Louisville, KY. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Kentucky has a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax.

Evansville, IN
Louisville, KY

Rent

Studio
$741
$786
+6% in Louisville, KY
1 Bedroom
$768
$877
+14% in Louisville, KY
2 Bedroom
$1,022
$1,096
+7% in Louisville, KY
3 Bedroom
$1,167
$1,299
+11% in Louisville, KY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$129,100
$221,500
+72% in Louisville, KY

Income

Median Household Income
$52,251
$64,731
+24% in Louisville, KY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,540
$48,370
+4% in Louisville, KY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
37.7 yr
+0.4 yr in Evansville, IN
Homeownership
53.9%
60.6%
+6.7 pp in Louisville, KY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
33.4%
+11.1 pp in Louisville, KY
Avg Commute
18.7 min
22.7 min
+4.0 min in Louisville, KY

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,210.5
763.4
+37% in Evansville, IN
Property Crime
3,716.2
3,536.6
+5% 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
58.2°F
+1.8°F in Louisville, KY
Annual Precipitation
45.3 in
44.9 in
+0.4 in in Evansville, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.94/gal
about equal

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.75

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.1
15.0
+17% in Evansville, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$29.48
+115% in Louisville, KY

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 Louisville, KY
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 / KY)
7%
6%
+1.0 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
3.50%
+0.5 pp in KY

Evansville vs Louisville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Louisville?
Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Louisville, KY's $1,060, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Louisville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $35,000 in Louisville.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Louisville?
Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Louisville under Kentucky's (a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% 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).