Evansville IN vs Raleigh NC — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Evansville, IN

Indiana · Population: 116,441

  • Median HH Income$52,251
  • Median Home Price$200,657
  • Unemployment5.3%
  • Bachelor's+22.3%

Raleigh, NC

North Carolina · Population: 470,763

  • Median HH Income$82,424
  • Median Home Price$435,807
  • Unemployment4.5%
  • Bachelor's+52.9%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Evansville
116,441
Raleigh
470,763
Raleigh +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Evansville
N/A
Raleigh
N/A
Median Age
Evansville
38.1
Raleigh
34.7
Raleigh +
Foreign Born
Evansville
3.9%
Raleigh
13.6%
Raleigh +
White
Evansville
77.1%
Evansville +
Raleigh
53.8%
Black
Evansville
13.5%
Raleigh
27.5%
Raleigh +
Asian
Evansville
1.1%
Raleigh
4.7%
Raleigh +
Hispanic
Evansville
4.0%
Raleigh
12.7%
Raleigh +
Spanish at Home
Evansville
N/A
Raleigh
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Evansville
$52,251
Raleigh
$82,424
Raleigh +
Per Capita Income
Evansville
$31,236
Raleigh
$49,948
Raleigh +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Evansville
$58,697
Raleigh
$59,120
Raleigh +
Unemployment Rate
Evansville
5.3%
Raleigh
4.5%
Raleigh +
Poverty Rate
Evansville
18.6%
Raleigh
11.4%
Raleigh +
Bachelor's Degree+
Evansville
22.3%
Raleigh
52.9%
Raleigh +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Evansville
$200,657
Evansville +
Raleigh
$435,807
Homeownership Rate
Evansville
53.9%
Evansville +
Raleigh
51.2%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Evansville
370
Evansville +
Raleigh
398
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Evansville
1719
Evansville +
Raleigh
1999

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Evansville
40.0%
Raleigh
30.9%
Raleigh +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Evansville
13.8%
Raleigh
9.1%
Raleigh +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Evansville
19.7%
Raleigh
16.6%
Raleigh +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Evansville
9.6%
Evansville +
Raleigh
9.7%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Evansville
15.8%
Raleigh
15.3%
Raleigh +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Evansville
18.6%
Raleigh
10.5%
Raleigh +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Evansville
60.1°F
Evansville +
Raleigh
61.1°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Evansville
46.8 in
Raleigh
46.2 in
Raleigh +

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Evansville
10.1 µg/m³
Raleigh
8.7 µg/m³
Raleigh +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Evansville
55.0%
Raleigh
75.0%
Raleigh +

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Evansville
20.2 min
Evansville +
Raleigh
25.1 min

Which City is Right for You?

Raleigh leads in median household income at $82,424, while evansville offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $200,657. On public safety, Evansville is safer with a violent crime rate of 370 per 100,000 residents, compared to 398 in Raleigh. Raleigh has a lower unemployment rate at 4.5%, and Raleigh has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.7 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Raleigh scores better with a lower obesity rate of 30.9%.

Compare More Cities

About Evansville & Raleigh