Evansville IN vs Rochester MN — 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%

Rochester, MN

Minnesota · Population: 26,509

  • Median HH Income$127,247
  • Median Home Price$344,633
  • Unemployment3.2%
  • Bachelor's+50.3%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Evansville
116,441
Evansville +
Rochester
26,509
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Evansville
N/A
Rochester
N/A
Median Age
Evansville
38.1
Evansville +
Rochester
38.7
Foreign Born
Evansville
3.9%
Rochester
7.1%
Rochester +
White
Evansville
77.1%
Rochester
82.9%
Rochester +
Black
Evansville
13.5%
Evansville +
Rochester
3.6%
Asian
Evansville
1.1%
Rochester
5.2%
Rochester +
Hispanic
Evansville
4.0%
Evansville +
Rochester
3.9%
Spanish at Home
Evansville
N/A
Rochester
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Evansville
$52,251
Rochester
$127,247
Rochester +
Per Capita Income
Evansville
$31,236
Rochester
$57,602
Rochester +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Evansville
$58,697
Rochester
$69,467
Rochester +
Unemployment Rate
Evansville
5.3%
Rochester
3.2%
Rochester +
Poverty Rate
Evansville
18.6%
Rochester
2.9%
Rochester +
Bachelor's Degree+
Evansville
22.3%
Rochester
50.3%
Rochester +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Evansville
$200,657
Evansville +
Rochester
$344,633
Homeownership Rate
Evansville
53.9%
Rochester
86.6%
Rochester +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Evansville
370
Rochester
284
Rochester +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Evansville
1719
Evansville +
Rochester
1992

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Evansville
40.0%
Rochester
36.4%
Rochester +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Evansville
13.8%
Rochester
9.2%
Rochester +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Evansville
19.7%
Rochester
14.3%
Rochester +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Evansville
9.6%
Rochester
7.1%
Rochester +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Evansville
15.8%
Evansville +
Rochester
16.0%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Evansville
18.6%
Rochester
11.4%
Rochester +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Evansville
60.1°F
Rochester
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Evansville
46.8 in
Rochester
34.0 in
Rochester +

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Evansville
20.2 min
Evansville +
Rochester
28.3 min

Which City is Right for You?

Rochester leads in median household income at $127,247, while evansville offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $200,657. On public safety, Rochester is safer with a violent crime rate of 284 per 100,000 residents, compared to 370 in Evansville. Rochester has a lower unemployment rate at 3.2%, and Rochester has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.1 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Rochester scores better with a lower obesity rate of 36.4%.

Compare More Cities

About Evansville & Rochester