Evansville IN vs Rochester NY — 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, NY

New York · Population: 209,720

  • Median HH Income$46,628
  • Median Home Price$241,627
  • Unemployment7.9%
  • Bachelor's+29.9%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Evansville
116,441
Rochester
209,720
Rochester +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Evansville
N/A
Rochester
N/A
Median Age
Evansville
38.1
Rochester
33.5
Rochester +
Foreign Born
Evansville
3.9%
Rochester
8.3%
Rochester +
White
Evansville
77.1%
Evansville +
Rochester
41.5%
Black
Evansville
13.5%
Rochester
37.5%
Rochester +
Asian
Evansville
1.1%
Rochester
3.2%
Rochester +
Hispanic
Evansville
4.0%
Rochester
20.0%
Rochester +
Spanish at Home
Evansville
N/A
Rochester
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Evansville
$52,251
Evansville +
Rochester
$46,628
Per Capita Income
Evansville
$31,236
Evansville +
Rochester
$30,451
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Evansville
$58,697
Rochester
$77,425
Rochester +
Unemployment Rate
Evansville
5.3%
Evansville +
Rochester
7.9%
Poverty Rate
Evansville
18.6%
Evansville +
Rochester
26.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
Evansville
22.3%
Rochester
29.9%
Rochester +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Evansville
$200,657
Evansville +
Rochester
$241,627
Homeownership Rate
Evansville
53.9%
Evansville +
Rochester
37.2%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Evansville
370
Evansville +
Rochester
434
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Evansville
1719
Evansville +
Rochester
1736

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Evansville
40.0%
Rochester
38.0%
Rochester +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Evansville
13.8%
Evansville +
Rochester
14.3%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Evansville
19.7%
Rochester
18.8%
Rochester +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Evansville
9.6%
Evansville +
Rochester
10.9%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Evansville
15.8%
Evansville +
Rochester
16.3%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Evansville
18.6%
Rochester
16.6%
Rochester +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Evansville
60.1°F
Rochester
48.2°F
Rochester +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Evansville
46.8 in
Rochester
34.3 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
20.6 min

Which City is Right for You?

Evansville leads in median household income at $52,251, 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 434 in Rochester. Evansville has a lower unemployment rate at 5.3%, 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 38.0%.

Compare More Cities

About Evansville & Rochester