Evansville vs Springfield
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $143,100 in Evansville and $162,100 in Springfield.
- Households earn more in Springfield ($66,064 vs $53,387 median).
- Evansville has the warmer winter: January highs of 42°F vs 36°F.
- Springfield gets far more snow: 22 inches a year vs 11.
Side by side
| Evansville, IN | Springfield, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 116,176 | 112,989 |
| Growth since 2020 | -0.9% | -1.4% |
| People per square mile | 2,453 | 1,844 |
| Median age | 38.2 | 41.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23% | 36% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $53,387 | $66,064 |
| Median home value | $143,100 | $162,100 |
| Home value to income | 2.7× | 2.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $975 | $975 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.5 | 92.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 66.7 | 71.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,600 | $69,600 |
| Homeowners | 55% | 64% |
| Top state income tax | 2.95% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 7% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.3 | 17.4 |
| Work from home | 6% | 15% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.1% | 6.8% |
| Poverty rate | 18.4% | 16.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 42° / 26° | 36° / 20° |
| July high / low | 89° / 69° | 87° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 48 in | 38 in |
| Snowfall per year | 11 in | 22 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 41 | 28 |
| Nights below freezing | 90 | 111 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 91.3 | 91.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 58% | 70% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.4% | +5.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +38.5% | +42.1% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Evansville: June and September to October. Springfield: April and August to October.
Full monthly tables: Evansville weather by month and Springfield weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $68,600 in Evansville and $69,600 in Springfield. Moving from Evansville to Springfield, you would need about $76,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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