Evansville vs Joliet
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Evansville
Joliet
The Verdict
Evansville is 15.8% less expensive than Joliet overall. A household earning $75,000 in Evansville would need approximately $89,063 in Joliet to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Evansville has the same purchasing power as $89,063 in Joliet.
Conversely, $75,000 in Joliet equals $63,158 in Evansville.
Living in Evansville vs Joliet
Housing Costs
Evansville's housing index of 55 is lower Joliet's 85, translating to median home prices of $170,000 vs $275,000. The $105,000 difference in home prices means roughly $6,828 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $850/mo in Evansville compared to $1,325/mo in Joliet, a monthly difference of $475.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 95 in Evansville and 101 in Joliet. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $451/month in Evansville vs $480/month in Joliet. Evansville offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $348/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 105 in Evansville and 94 in Joliet. Monthly utility bills average approximately $420 in Evansville vs $376 in Joliet. Climate differences between the two cities drive much of this gap, with heating and cooling costs varying substantially by region.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 105 in Evansville and 102 in Joliet. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $48,600 in Evansville and $88,000 in Joliet. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $60,750 and $92,632 respectively. Joliet residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,134/month to housing in Evansville vs $2,053/month in Joliet. In Evansville, median rent of $850/mo fits within this budget. In Joliet, median rent of $1,325/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 30 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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