Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Worcester?

Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Worcester, MA's $1,340, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Worcester?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $41,000 in Worcester.

Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Worcester?

Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Evansville vs Worcester Cost of Living 2026

Evansville

Indiana

$970/mo est.

Worcester

Massachusetts

$1,340/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $970 in Evansville, IN versus $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Worcester, MA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 23% higher in Worcester, MA. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Evansville, IN

Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio

$741

$1,087

+47% in Worcester, MA

1 Bedroom

$768

$1,028

+34% in Worcester, MA

2 Bedroom

$1,022

$1,476

+44% in Worcester, MA

3 Bedroom

$1,167

$1,675

+44% in Worcester, MA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$129,100

$339,500

+163% in Worcester, MA

Income

Median Household Income

$52,251

$67,544

+29% in Worcester, MA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,540

$57,830

+24% in Worcester, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.1 yr

34.1 yr

+4.0 yr in Evansville, IN

Homeownership

53.9%

42.4%

+11.5 pp in Evansville, IN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

22.3%

34.1%

+11.8 pp in Worcester, MA

Avg Commute

18.7 min

25.1 min

+6.4 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,210.5

640.2

+47% in Evansville, IN

Property Crime

3,716.2

1,580.3

+57% 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

47.9°F

+8.5°F in Evansville, IN

Annual Precipitation

45.3 in

48.1 in

+2.8 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$4.07/gal

+6% in Worcester, MA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Massachusetts.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

17.5

29.6

+69% in Worcester, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.52

$30.66

+25% in Worcester, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.92

+16% in Worcester, MA

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Evansville, IN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.90

+2% in Worcester, MA

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.19

+4% in Worcester, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Worcester, MA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / MA)

6.25%

+0.8 pp in IN

Income Tax (top rate)

2.95%

9.00%

+6.0 pp in MA

Evansville vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Worcester?: Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Worcester, MA's $1,340, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Worcester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Worcester?: Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% 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).