Living Cost Compare
Evansville

Indiana

$970/mo est.

vs
Missoula

Montana

$1,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $970 in Evansville, IN versus $1,100 in Missoula, MT. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 12% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Missoula, MT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $65,329 in Missoula, MT — about 20% higher in Missoula, MT. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax.

Evansville, IN
Missoula, MT

Rent

Studio
$741
$755
+2% in Missoula, MT
1 Bedroom
$768
$953
+24% in Missoula, MT
2 Bedroom
$1,022
$1,176
+15% in Missoula, MT
3 Bedroom
$1,167
$1,676
+44% in Missoula, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$129,100
$427,400
+231% in Missoula, MT

Income

Median Household Income
$52,251
$65,329
+25% in Missoula, MT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,540
$47,830
+3% in Missoula, MT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
34.3 yr
+3.8 yr in Evansville, IN
Homeownership
53.9%
47.8%
+6.1 pp in Evansville, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
51.7%
+29.4 pp in Missoula, MT
Avg Commute
18.7 min
16.6 min
+2.1 min in Evansville, IN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,210.5
601.9
+50% in Evansville, IN
Property Crime
3,716.2
3,685.2
+1% 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
45.9°F
+10.5°F in Evansville, IN
Annual Precipitation
45.3 in
14.1 in
+31.2 in in Evansville, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$4.27/gal
+11% in Missoula, MT

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
17.5
15.1
+14% in Evansville, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.52
$10.12
+59% in Evansville, IN

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / MT)
7%
None
+7.0 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
5.65%
+2.7 pp in MT

Evansville vs Missoula — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Missoula?
Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Missoula, MT's $1,100, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Missoula?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $38,000 in Missoula.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Missoula?
Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no 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).