Living Cost Compare
Evansville

Indiana

$950/mo est.

vs
Seattle

Washington

$2,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $950 in Evansville, IN versus $2,030 in Seattle, WA. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 53% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Seattle, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $121,984 in Seattle, WA — about 57% higher in Seattle, WA. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Evansville, IN
Seattle, WA

Rent

Studio
$741
$1,638
+121% in Seattle, WA
1 Bedroom
$768
$1,858
+142% in Seattle, WA
2 Bedroom
$1,022
$2,359
+131% in Seattle, WA
3 Bedroom
$1,167
$2,918
+150% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$129,100
$912,100
+607% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income
$52,251
$121,984
+133% in Seattle, WA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,540
$72,610
+56% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
35.5 yr
+2.6 yr in Evansville, IN
Homeownership
53.9%
44.2%
+9.7 pp in Evansville, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
67.5%
+45.2 pp in Seattle, WA
Avg Commute
18.7 min
26.6 min
+7.9 min in Seattle, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,210.5
788.6
+35% in Evansville, IN
Property Crime
3,716.2
5,108.8
+37% in Seattle, WA

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
53.5°F
+2.9°F in Evansville, IN
Annual Precipitation
45.3 in
37.7 in
+7.6 in in Evansville, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.31/gal
+35% in Seattle, WA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Seattle.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.75

Adult base one-way fare — — vs King County Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.1
14.9
+18% in Evansville, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$20.41
+49% in Seattle, WA

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / WA)
7%
6.5%
+0.5 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
None
+3.0 pp in IN

Evansville vs Seattle — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Seattle?
Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 53% below Seattle, WA's $2,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Seattle?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $74,000 in Seattle.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Seattle?
Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Seattle under Washington's (no state income tax 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).