Living Cost Compare
Evansville

Indiana

$970/mo est.

vs
Paterson

New Jersey

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $970 in Evansville, IN versus $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 32% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Paterson, NJ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 3% higher in Paterson, NJ. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Evansville, IN
Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio
$741
$786
+6% in Paterson, NJ
1 Bedroom
$768
$1,183
+54% in Paterson, NJ
2 Bedroom
$1,022
$1,468
+44% in Paterson, NJ
3 Bedroom
$1,167
$1,729
+48% in Paterson, NJ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$129,100
$335,400
+160% in Paterson, NJ

Income

Median Household Income
$52,251
$53,766
+3% in Paterson, NJ
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,540
$61,430
+32% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
33.3 yr
+4.8 yr in Evansville, IN
Homeownership
53.9%
26.2%
+27.7 pp in Evansville, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
12.5%
+9.8 pp in Evansville, IN
Avg Commute
18.7 min
23.1 min
+4.4 min in Paterson, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,210.5
1,010.1
+17% in Evansville, IN
Property Crime
3,716.2
2,391.4
+36% 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
52.2°F
+4.2°F in Evansville, IN
Annual Precipitation
45.3 in
49.0 in
+3.7 in in Paterson, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Paterson, NJ

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
17.5
24.9
+42% in Paterson, NJ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.52
$17.68
+28% 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 Paterson, NJ
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Evansville, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.90
+2% in Paterson, NJ
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.19
+4% in Paterson, NJ
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Paterson, NJ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / NJ)
7%
6.625%
+0.4 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
10.75%
+7.8 pp in NJ

Evansville vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Paterson?
Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Paterson, NJ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Paterson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Paterson?
Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).