Winston-Salem Evansville

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 92.0 → 91.5
Rent Delta: +$153/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - $153/mo more expensive rent (2BR)

Moving from Winston-Salem to Evansville shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 92.0 to 91.5 (100 = US average), so a Winston-Salem salary needs to be multiplied by 0.99 to hold the same purchasing power in Evansville. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $960/month in Winston-Salem to $1,113/month in Evansville - a higher monthly bill of $153, or $1,836/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $63,918 in Winston-Salem versus $61,998 in Evansville - a raw gap of $1,920 lower. The Evansville labor market has 128,000 tracked jobs against 259,100 in Winston-Salem, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Winston-Salem and Evansville are 365 and 308 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.8:1 at origin versus 15.9:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Winston-Salem
Evansville
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 92.0
RPP 91.5
Evansville
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$960/mo
$1,113/mo
Winston-Salem
💼 Wages
$63,918
$61,998
Winston-Salem
🔒 Crime
365 per 100K
308 per 100K
Evansville
🎓 Schools
15.8:1
15.9:1
Winston-Salem
👶 Childcare
$9,487/yr
N/A
Tie
🌿 Environment
2788 violations
1467 violations
Evansville

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Winston-Salem to see what you'd need to earn in Evansville to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Evansville
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Evansville more expensive than Winston-Salem?
Evansville has an RPP of 91.5 compared to Winston-Salem's 92.0 (100 = national average). Winston-Salem is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Evansville is $1,113/mo vs $960/mo in Winston-Salem.
What are salaries like in Evansville compared to Winston-Salem?
The median salary in Evansville is $61,998 compared to $63,918 in Winston-Salem. That's a -$1,920 difference.
Is Evansville safer than Winston-Salem?
The violent crime rate near Evansville is 308 per 100K vs 365 per 100K near Winston-Salem (state-level data). Evansville has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Evansville to match my Winston-Salem salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Winston-Salem salary by 0.99. For example, a $75,000 salary in Winston-Salem would need to be $74,580 in Evansville. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)