Evansville IN rent increase 2026 Evansville, Indiana has no rent control of any kind in 2026. Indiana’s Dillon’s Rule (IC §36-1-3-8) bars every Indiana municipality from exercising powers not expressly granted by the state — and the Indiana General Assembly has never authorized local rent control. IC §32-31-3-12: 45-DAY DUAL-TRIGGER deposit return (tenant must BOTH vacate AND provide written forwarding address before the 45-day clock starts); 2× wrongful-withholding damages. IC §32-31-1-6: 10-day pay-or-quit notice. Vanderburgh County Superior Court (825 Sycamore St., Evansville IN 47708). Berry Global Group (NYSE: BERY; Fortune 500; ~$13B revenue; ~48,000 employees worldwide; North America’s largest engineered-plastics manufacturer; HQ 101 Oakley St., Evansville; founded 1967). Deaconess Health System: Level II Trauma; Evansville’s largest private employer; ~5,500 employees. Old National Bancorp (NYSE: ONB; ~$46B assets; Indiana’s largest in-state HQ’d bank; founded Evansville 1834). CenterPoint Energy / Vectren: $6.0B acquisition 2019 — largest utility acquisition in Indiana history.

Indiana rent control status: why no Evansville ordinance can cap rents

Indiana Code §36-1-3-8, the statutory codification of Dillon’s Rule for Indiana municipalities, provides that a municipality “may exercise only those powers that are expressly granted by statute, are necessarily implied by a statute, or are necessary to carry out an enumerated power.” The Indiana General Assembly has never granted cities or counties the power to regulate the price of privately owned residential rental housing. Without an express grant of power, the Evansville City Council has no authority whatsoever to enact a rent control or rent stabilization ordinance — not by simple majority vote, not by supermajority, not by emergency declaration, and not by any home rule or charter provision.

This legal framework differs materially from states like California (where cities retain broad general-law and charter-city powers that courts have interpreted to include rent regulation authority — resulting in rent control ordinances in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Monica, Berkeley, and dozens of other California cities), New York (where the state enacted the Emergency Tenant Protection Act and the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019, creating statewide rent stabilization administered by the DHCR), and Oregon (statewide rent control enacted by SB 611 in 2019, capping annual increases at 7% plus CPI for buildings more than 15 years old). In Indiana, the Dillon’s Rule default means the silence of the Indiana Code on rent control authority is functionally equivalent to a prohibition — no separate preemption statute is needed because there is no authority to preempt in the first place.

Indiana has never had rent control at any level of government at any time in its history. Evansville — as the county seat of Vanderburgh County, Indiana’s third-largest city, and the commercial hub of southwest Indiana — has operated as a fully market-rate rental market throughout its history as an incorporated city (incorporated 1847, settled 1817). No Evansville ordinance, no Vanderburgh County resolution, and no Indiana executive order has ever imposed a rent cap of any kind.

Indiana landlord-tenant law: key statutes for Evansville landlords

Security deposit: 45-day dual-trigger return (IC §32-31-3-12) and 2× wrongful-withholding damages

Indiana Code §32-31-3 governs security deposits for all Evansville and Vanderburgh County residential tenancies. Indiana imposes no statutory maximum on security deposit amounts — a landlord may collect any agreed amount. Fort Wayne and Indianapolis market norms run 1–2 months’ rent; Evansville norms in 2026 are likewise 1–2 months’ rent for most residential units, with higher deposits sometimes collected for furnished units near the Deaconess Midtown and Ascension St. Vincent campuses or premium units in Newburgh.

Indiana’s defining deposit feature is the 45-day dual-trigger return rule (IC §32-31-3-12): the landlord’s 45-day return deadline does NOT begin until BOTH of the following conditions have been satisfied:

1. The tenant has terminated the rental agreement and vacated the premises; AND
2. The tenant has made a written demand for return of the deposit AND provided the landlord with a written forwarding address.

This is a genuine, independently enforced dual trigger. If an Evansville tenant moves out but never delivers a written forwarding address to the landlord, the 45-day clock technically never begins. The landlord is not obligated to return the deposit until both conditions are fully and independently met. This mechanism is one of the most landlord-favorable deposit frameworks in the United States — compare to single-trigger states: Florida (15-day period if no deductions claimed, or 30-day period if deductions are taken, triggered by termination alone); California (21-day single-trigger from restoration of possession); Missouri (30-day single-trigger from vacancy and demand); Washington (21-day single-trigger from end of tenancy).

Best practice for Evansville landlords: include an explicit lease clause — and a separate move-out form — requiring the tenant to deliver a written forwarding address to the landlord at or before key surrender on the move-out date. The written forwarding address should be delivered by hand (with a signed receipt or acknowledgment), by certified mail, or by email with read receipt. This practice simultaneously satisfies Indiana’s forwarding-address requirement and starts the 45-day clock on a clear, documented, unambiguous date — creating a defensible record in the event of a dispute in Vanderburgh County Superior Court.

Itemized deduction statement: The Evansville landlord must provide an itemized written list of all deductions, along with the remaining deposit balance (or an explanation if the balance is zero), within 45 days of both triggers being met. Normal wear and tear is not deductible in Indiana. Deductions may be taken only for actual damage beyond normal wear, unpaid rent, and other documented lease violations.

2× wrongful-withholding damages (IC §32-31-3-12(a)(2)): If the Evansville landlord fails to return the deposit balance within 45 days of both triggers being met, or makes wrongful or unsupported deductions, the tenant may recover double the wrongfully withheld amount plus reasonable attorney’s fees in Vanderburgh County Superior Court. On a $900 security deposit for a typical Evansville 2BR unit, 2× wrongful-withholding exposure equals $1,800 plus attorney fees — a meaningful sum that makes documentation critical. Maintain time-stamped move-in and move-out photographs and itemized contractor invoices or material purchase receipts for all deductions claimed.

Non-payment eviction: 10-day pay-or-quit notice (IC §32-31-1-6)

For non-payment of rent, the Evansville landlord must serve a written notice on the tenant stating the exact amount of rent overdue and giving the tenant TEN DAYS to pay all past-due rent in full or vacate the premises. Indiana’s 10-day notice is one of the longest non-payment notice periods in the country — substantially longer than Florida (3-day), Missouri (3-day), California (3-day), Ohio (3-day), Illinois (5-day, 735 ILCS 5/9-209), Wisconsin (5-day), and Michigan (7-day, MCL §600.5720). Across the Ohio River, Henderson, KY’s Kentucky URLTA (§383.660) requires a 14-day notice to pay or vacate — slightly longer than Indiana’s 10-day rule.

After 10 days without full payment of all overdue rent or voluntary surrender of the Evansville unit, the landlord files a complaint for possession at Vanderburgh County Superior Court, 825 Sycamore St., Evansville IN 47708; (812) 435-5180. Small Claims Court within Vanderburgh County Superior Court handles most residential eviction matters. Filing fees run approximately $88–$150 depending on the amount of damages claimed. Hearings are typically scheduled within 3–4 weeks of filing. The uncontested eviction timeline is approximately 4–7 weeks from service of the 10-day notice.

Month-to-month termination (IC §32-31-1-1): Either the landlord or the tenant may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by providing at least one rental period’s advance written notice (1 month’s advance notice for monthly tenancies).

Entry notice (IC §32-31-5-6): Indiana statute does not specify a minimum number of hours’ advance notice for landlord entry into a rental unit; it requires only “reasonable notice.” Market practice throughout Evansville and Vanderburgh County is 24 hours. Emergency entry (fire, flooding, burst pipe, gas leak, utility emergency) requires no advance notice. Non-emergency entry should occur during normal business hours or a time mutually agreed with the tenant.

Habitability (IC §32-31-8-5): The Evansville landlord must maintain the rental unit in a habitable condition at all times. Evansville experiences cold winters (January average low approximately 25°F) and hot, humid summers (July average high approximately 88°F), making functional heating and cooling systems critical habitability components. Comply with applicable housing codes; maintain plumbing, electrical systems, structural integrity, and pest extermination. A tenant who provides 14 days’ written notice of a material habitability breach, and whose landlord fails to cure the breach, may terminate the tenancy or seek a proportionate rent reduction through Vanderburgh County Superior Court.

Berry Global Group: Fortune 500 HQ, history, and Evansville rental market impact

Berry Global Group (NYSE: BERY; 101 Oakley St., Evansville IN 47710; Fortune 500; approximately $13 billion in annual revenue in recent fiscal years; approximately 48,000 employees worldwide; approximately 1,000+ employees at Evansville headquarters) is Evansville’s most significant economic institution — the city’s only Fortune 500 company and North America’s largest manufacturer of engineered materials, nonwoven specialty materials, and consumer and industrial packaging. Berry Global’s presence shapes Evansville’s rental market more than any other single employer.

History: Berry Global was founded in Evansville in 1967 as Imperial Industries, a small plastic bottle manufacturer. The company was renamed Berry Plastics in 1983. Over the following three decades, Berry Plastics grew through an aggressive acquisition strategy — purchasing dozens of plastics manufacturers across North America — to become, by the early 2010s, the continent’s dominant engineered-plastics and packaging manufacturer. Berry Plastics Group went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012 (ticker: BERY). The company was renamed Berry Global Group in 2017 to reflect its expanding international footprint following the acquisition of Avintiv (nonwoven specialty materials; acquired 2015, approximately $2.45 billion). In 2019, Berry Global made its largest single acquisition: RPC Group plc, a UK-based rigid plastics manufacturer, for approximately $6.5 billion, dramatically expanding Berry’s European and Asian operations.

Under CEO Tom Salmon (appointed CEO 2018; previously Chief Operating Officer), Berry Global has continued its multi-brand, multi-material, global strategy. Berry’s product range is extraordinarily broad: rigid open-top containers (plastic bottles, cans, cups, cartons); closed-top containers (closures, specialty caps, consumer packaging); engineered materials (films, bags, tapes, nonwoven fabrics, protective packaging, healthcare packaging); and consumer-facing packaging for global brands including Procter & Gamble, Unilever, PepsiCo, The Coca-Cola Company, Nestlé, and Walmart. Berry Global’s plastics are found in medicine bottles, laundry detergent containers, beverage cups, surgical drapes, hospital gowns, food packaging, e-commerce protective materials, and hundreds of other everyday products.

Rental market impact: The approximately 1,000+ Evansville headquarters employees — in corporate finance, treasury, legal, human resources, investor relations, procurement, supply chain, R&D, and executive functions — represent Evansville’s highest-income professional renter segment. Senior Berry Global executives (compensation packages ranging from $500,000 to $5,000,000+ for C-suite officers) drive demand for the most premium units in Newburgh (Warrick County, the most affluent Evansville suburb, approximately 8 miles east; 2026 2BR: $950–$1,350) and upscale east-side Evansville units near the Oakley St. campus ($700–$1,050 2BR). Mid-level Berry Global purchasing, quality, and engineering staff drive demand in the east-side Evansville corridor (E. Columbia St. / Burkhardt Rd.) and the north-side residential areas. When Berry Global has a strong revenue year — driven by consumer goods packaging volumes tied to P&G, Unilever, or PepsiCo purchasing cycles — hiring at the Evansville HQ increases, vacancy rates in east Evansville tighten, and premium rents push toward the top of the $700–$1,050 range.

Deaconess Health System: Level II Trauma, Evansville’s largest employer

Deaconess Health System (Deaconess Midtown Hospital: 600 Mary St., Evansville IN 47710; Level II Trauma; Evansville’s largest private employer; approximately 5,500 total employees across all Deaconess campuses) is the most significant healthcare institution in southwest Indiana and the single largest driver of stable, long-tenancy healthcare rental demand in Evansville.

Deaconess’s Level II Trauma designation (one step below Level I) means Deaconess Midtown is the regional hub for major trauma cases across southwest Indiana and the Henderson, KY area. Deaconess also operates The Women’s Hospital (4199 Gateway Blvd., Newburgh IN 47630; Warrick County; one of Indiana’s busiest dedicated women’s and newborn facilities), Deaconess Gibson Hospital (Princeton IN; Gibson County; near Toyota Princeton), and Deaconess Henderson Hospital (Henderson, KY — across the Ohio River; KY jurisdiction), making Deaconess a true cross-river health system serving both the Indiana and Kentucky sides of the Evansville MSA.

Deaconess’s clinical staff — attending physicians, resident physicians, Level II Trauma specialists, travel nurses, ICU nurses, surgical staff, and allied health professionals — are Evansville’s most consistent healthcare renter demographic. Travel nurses rotating to Deaconess Midtown ($55–$120/hr) create demand for furnished short-term units in the north-side corridor near the 600 Mary St. campus. Deaconess physicians (compensation ranging from $200,000 for hospitalists to $600,000+ for trauma surgeons and high-demand specialists) disproportionately choose Newburgh for home ownership or premium rentals, while RN and allied health staff ($50,000–$90,000) fill mid-range 1BR and 2BR units in north Evansville and the Burkhardt Rd. corridor.

Ascension St. Vincent Evansville (3700 Washington Ave., Evansville IN 47714; formerly St. Mary’s Medical Center; Ascension Catholic health system; approximately 2,800+ employees; Level III Trauma; 436 licensed beds) is Evansville’s second-largest hospital employer. Together, Deaconess Health System and Ascension St. Vincent employ approximately 8,300+ healthcare workers in Evansville — making healthcare the city’s dominant employment sector and the foundation of Evansville’s rental market stability.

Old National Bancorp: Indiana’s largest in-state HQ’d bank since 1834

Old National Bancorp (NYSE: ONB; One Main St., Evansville IN 47708; approximately $46 billion in total assets; approximately 4,000 employees) has been headquartered in Evansville continuously since its founding in 1834 — 192 years of continuous Evansville headquarters presence. Old National is Indiana’s largest commercial bank with its headquarters located in-state, having maintained that distinction even as it grew through interstate expansion and merger.

The 2022 merger with First Midwest Bancorp of Chicago (merger completed February 2022; combined assets of approximately $46 billion) transformed Old National from a predominantly Indiana/Kentucky regional bank into one of the Midwest’s largest regional banking organizations, with operations in Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky. Old National retained Evansville as its corporate headquarters post-merger, making the One Main St. riverfront campus one of the most significant financial-sector downtown anchors in the Midwest for a city of Evansville’s size.

Old National’s approximately 4,000 employees include professional banking staff — commercial lenders, consumer bankers, mortgage officers, compliance professionals, IT and operations staff, and executive leadership — who provide stable, professional-income rental demand in the downtown Evansville riverfront, the north side, and the east side. Old National’s strong Evansville institutional presence has also made Evansville a more attractive market for real estate investors who require commercial banking relationships and local credit markets — contributing indirectly to the quality of Evansville’s multifamily investment market.

CenterPoint Energy / Vectren: $6.0B acquisition, Indiana’s largest utility deal

The February 2019 acquisition of Vectren Corporation by CenterPoint Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNP) for $6.0 billion was the largest utility acquisition in Indiana history. Vectren Corporation — which had been formed by the 1999 merger of Indiana Gas Company and Southern Indiana Gas & Electric Company, both Evansville-based utilities — had been Evansville’s second-largest private employer and one of the city’s most significant corporate anchors.

CenterPoint Energy (based in Houston, Texas; NYSE: CNP; one of the nation’s largest combined natural gas and electric distribution utilities) acquired Vectren to expand its Midwest operations and gain access to Vectren’s more than 1 million Indiana customers across natural gas (legacy Indiana Gas service territory in southern Indiana) and electric service (legacy Southern Indiana Gas & Electric [SIGECO] territory in Vanderburgh, Warrick, Posey, Gibson, Pike, and Dubois counties). CenterPoint operates the former Vectren Indiana operations from 211 NW Riverside Drive, Evansville, with approximately 2,000+ employees in the Evansville area managing Indiana distribution, field operations, customer service, and regulatory affairs.

While the $6.0B acquisition converted Vectren from an independent Evansville-headquartered company to a division of a Houston-based national utility, the Evansville operations have remained substantial. CenterPoint’s Evansville employees — line workers, operations engineers, compliance staff, customer service, and local management — maintain stable middle-income rental demand in the north side, west side, and near-downtown Evansville corridors. The $6.0B transaction also underscored the capital value embedded in Evansville’s utility infrastructure and the strategic importance of southwest Indiana’s energy market.

University of Southern Indiana and University of Evansville

University of Southern Indiana (USI; 8600 University Blvd., Evansville IN 47712; Indiana state university; founded 1965; approximately 11,500 students; approximately 1,000 USI employees) is one of Indiana’s five state universities and Evansville’s largest institution of higher education by enrollment. USI’s School of Nursing and Health Professions — the university’s largest school — serves as the primary clinical pipeline for Deaconess Health System and Ascension St. Vincent Evansville, providing clinical placements and graduate nurses who fill Evansville’s healthcare workforce. USI’s Romain College of Business, Pott College of Science Engineering and Education, and growing STEM programs serve the Berry Global supply chain, Toyota supplier base, and Evansville’s technology sector. USI’s west-side campus at University Blvd. drives off-campus student rental demand in the immediately surrounding neighborhoods and along the Lloyd Expressway (SR 62) corridor.

University of Evansville (UE; 1800 Lincoln Ave., Evansville IN 47722; private Methodist-affiliated university; founded 1854; approximately 2,500 students; Krannert School of Management; College of Arts and Sciences; Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine Evansville campus) is Evansville’s oldest and most historically prominent university. UE’s east-side Lincoln Ave. campus generates near-campus student housing demand in the surrounding residential neighborhoods. UE’s partnership with Marian University for the osteopathic medical school campus in Evansville adds professional graduate student demand.

Ivy Tech Community College Evansville (3501 N. First Ave., Evansville IN; approximately 5,000+ students) provides workforce training for the Berry Global supply chain, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana supplier base, and Evansville’s healthcare sector. Ivy Tech’s nursing assistant, LPN, and allied health programs produce a pipeline of healthcare workers for Deaconess and Ascension St. Vincent.

Alcoa Warrick Operations and Toyota Princeton: southwest Indiana industrial corridor

Evansville’s rental market draws demand from an extended southwest Indiana industrial corridor that stretches east to Newburgh (Warrick County), north to Princeton (Gibson County), and west to Posey County — all within commuting distance of Evansville.

Alcoa Warrick Operations (4400 State Hwy 66, Newburgh IN 47630; Warrick County; Alcoa Corporation [NYSE: AA]; approximately 1,000 employees; aluminum smelting and hot-rolling mill; one of the largest aluminum production sites in the US; Warrick Smelter established 1960; supplies automotive sheet aluminum and packaging aluminum to major OEM customers) is a decades-long Warrick County industrial anchor. Alcoa Warrick’s approximately 1,000 employees — smelter workers, rolling mill operators, maintenance technicians, and engineering staff — drive rental demand in Newburgh and eastern Vanderburgh County, competing with Deaconess Women’s Hospital employees and Berry Global executives for Newburgh’s limited rental supply (2026 2BR: $950–$1,350).

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (TMMI; 4000 State Rd. 62, Princeton IN 47670; Gibson County; approximately 3,300 employees; produces Toyota Sienna minivans and Highlander 3-row SUVs; facility opened 1996 with $700 million initial investment; now $1 billion+ facility) is located approximately 50 miles north of Evansville via US-41. Despite the distance, a significant portion of Toyota Princeton’s workforce resides in the Evansville MSA and commutes north. Toyota’s significant Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier base — numerous automotive parts manufacturers that have located in the US-41/I-69 corridor between Evansville and Princeton — generates additional industrial-sector rental demand throughout Vanderburgh and Gibson counties.

Shoe Carnival (NASDAQ: SCVL; 7500 E. Columbia St., Evansville IN 47715; approximately $1.1 billion in annual revenue; approximately 5,600 total employees including store staff; approximately 100+ Evansville HQ employees; approximately 380 stores in 35 states; founded 1978 by David Russell in Evansville; IPO 1993; CEO Mark Worden) is Evansville’s most nationally recognizable non-Berry Global corporate brand. Its east Evansville headquarters on E. Columbia St. drives HQ-adjacent rental demand in the Burkhardt Rd. / E. Columbia St. corridor.

Evansville historical character: Bosse Field, Angel Mounds, and the Ohio River Pocket City

Evansville’s geography is distinctive among US cities: the city sits in a U-shaped bend in the Ohio River, creating a “pocket” shape on maps — which is the origin of Evansville’s nickname, “Pocket City.” The Ohio River forms the city’s southern boundary and its most defining geographic feature, separating Indiana from Kentucky and creating the unique dual-jurisdiction market that makes the Evansville–Henderson, KY cross-river rental comparison so relevant for local landlords.

Bosse Field (1701 N. Main St., Evansville IN; opened 1915; designated a National Historic Landmark in 2019; home of the Evansville Otters [Frontier League independent professional baseball]) is one of the oldest professional baseball stadiums in the United States still used for professional baseball. Bosse Field achieved international fame as the filming location for the 1992 Hollywood film A League of Their Own (directed by Penny Marshall; starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Madonna, and Rosie O’Donnell) — the fictional Rockford Peaches’ home games were filmed at Bosse Field, which stood in for fictional Harvey Field. The 2019 National Historic Landmark designation placed Bosse Field among the most historically significant ballparks in America.

Angel Mounds State Historic Site (8215 Pollack Ave., Evansville IN; Mississippian Native American ceremonial and civic center; inhabited approximately 1000–1450 AD; one of the best-preserved and largest pre-Columbian Native American sites in the eastern United States; Indiana State Historic Site) is among Evansville’s most significant cultural and historical landmarks. Angel Mounds was the urban center of a Mississippian civilization that at its peak housed approximately 1,000–3,000 people — a substantial community by any era’s standards. The site features 12 earthen mounds and is nationally recognized as one of the most archaeologically significant Mississippian sites in the US.

Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (2421 Bement Ave., Evansville; approximately 80 acres; established 1919; one of the largest free-admission zoos in the Midwest until transitioning to paid admission in 2012) and Evansville’s Ohio River riverfront are key quality-of-life features that support the city’s ability to attract and retain professionals from Berry Global, Old National Bancorp, and the major healthcare systems. Evansville was incorporated as a city in 1847 and has been continuously developed since settlement in 1817.

Cross-river comparison: Evansville IN (Indiana Code) vs. Henderson KY (KRS Chapter 383)

Henderson, Kentucky — located approximately 5 miles across the Ohio River from downtown Evansville via the US-41 Henderson-Evansville Bridge — is within commuting distance of the major Evansville employers. Many Evansville-area workers choose to live in Henderson, KY for lower rents, lower Kentucky personal income tax rates (flat 4% KY vs. Indiana’s 3.15%), and lower property taxes. Henderson County adopted Kentucky’s Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA) per KRS §383.505(3). The landlord-tenant rules differ materially from Indiana.

Feature	Evansville, IN (Indiana Code)	Henderson, KY (KRS Ch. 383 URLTA)
Rent control	None — IC §36-1-3-8 (Dillon’s Rule); no Indiana city has authority to enact	None — KRS §65.870 preempts local rent control in Kentucky
Security deposit cap	None — IC §32-31-3; any agreed amount	None — KRS §383.580; any agreed amount
Deposit return deadline	45-day DUAL-TRIGGER: clock starts only after BOTH (a) tenant vacates AND (b) tenant provides written forwarding address; IC §32-31-3-12	30-day single-trigger: 30 days after termination + written notice of new address (KRS §383.580); no separate forwarding-address trigger required
Wrongful withholding remedy	2× wrongfully withheld amount + reasonable attorney’s fees; IC §32-31-3-12(a)(2)	Actual damages + $500 statutory penalty; KRS §383.580(3)
Non-payment notice	10-day pay-or-quit; IC §32-31-1-6	14-day pay-or-vacate; KRS §383.660 (Kentucky URLTA)
Month-to-month termination	1 rental period’s advance notice; IC §32-31-1-1	1 rental period’s advance notice; KRS §383.695
Landlord entry notice	“Reasonable notice” (IC §32-31-5-6); market practice 24 hours	24 hours required by statute; KRS §383.615
Implied habitability	IC §32-31-8-5; 14-day written notice + cure period	KRS §383.595; 14-day written notice + cure period (URLTA)
Court	Vanderburgh County Superior Court, 825 Sycamore St., Evansville IN 47708; (812) 435-5180	Henderson District Court, 20 N. Main St., Henderson KY 42420; (270) 826-5630
2026 2BR rent range	$650–$950 downtown; $700–$1,050 east side; $950–$1,350 Newburgh	$550–$800 (lower cost; KY jurisdiction)

Evansville rental market history and 2026 outlook

Year	Metro avg 2BR/mo	Downtown / riverfront 2BR	East side / USI corridor 2BR	Newburgh (Warrick Co.) 2BR	Market notes
2019	$600–$850	$650–$900	$650–$900	$850–$1,150	Pre-pandemic baseline; Berry Global steady; Deaconess expansion ongoing; Old National pre-First Midwest merger; Vectren pre-CenterPoint acquisition; USI enrollment growing; Evansville highly affordable vs. Midwest peers
2020	$600–$850	$650–$900	$650–$900	$850–$1,150	COVID minimal disruption; Berry Global essential manufacturing (plastic bottles, healthcare packaging) operations continue throughout pandemic; Deaconess COVID surge adds travel nurse demand; CenterPoint/Vectren essential utility operations stable; Toyota Princeton operations disrupted briefly then resumed; Evansville essential-industry economy resilient
2021	$650–$930	$680–$950	$700–$980	$900–$1,200	+7–10%; in-migration from higher-cost Midwest markets seeking affordability; Deaconess travel nurse demand peak; Berry Global RPC integration driving HQ hiring; Toyota Princeton production rebound; CenterPoint Indiana operations stable; USI healthcare enrollment surge (pandemic nursing pipeline)
2022	$700–$1,000	$700–$980	$720–$1,020	$920–$1,280	+12–18% from 2019 baseline; Berry Global dividend demand; Toyota recall-free year; Deaconess travel nurse demand continues; Old National–First Midwest merger completed Feb. 2022 (~$46B combined assets); Shoe Carnival E. Columbia St. HQ stable; Alcoa Warrick aluminum demand strong; new east-side supply deliveries beginning
2023	$700–$1,000	$700–$960	$700–$1,000	$930–$1,300	Market stabilization; east-side supply deliveries soften mid-market; Berry Global revenue moderates post-peak; Deaconess travel nurse rates normalize nationally; Toyota Princeton production steady (Sienna + Highlander); CenterPoint Indiana rate case proceedings; USI enrollment continues growing; Evansville remains highly affordable
2024	$700–$1,020	$700–$970	$710–$1,030	$940–$1,320	Modest growth; Berry Global HQ hiring continues; CenterPoint Indiana operations stable; Old National Bancorp expansion post-merger driving professional hiring; Shoe Carnival store expansion; Alcoa Warrick demand tied to auto sector; USI School of Nursing growing; Evansville one of most affordable major Indiana metro markets
2026F	$720–$1,050	$700–$950	$720–$1,050	$950–$1,350	+2–4% from 2024; no rent control; fully market-rate; Berry Global Fortune 500 HQ stable anchor; Deaconess + Ascension St. Vincent healthcare backbone; Old National ~$46B assets; CenterPoint Indiana operations; Toyota Princeton steady; Evansville remains one of most affordable major Indiana metros; Indiana dual-trigger deposit mechanics critical to master

Evansville IN rental neighborhoods 2026

Neighborhood / Area	2026F 2BR/mo	Primary demand drivers
Downtown Evansville / Ohio River riverfront	$650–$950	Old National Bancorp HQ staff; CenterPoint/Vectren downtown ops; riverfront amenities; young professionals; historic districts
East side / USI corridor (E. Columbia St. / Burkhardt Rd.)	$700–$1,050	Berry Global HQ (~1,000+ employees; 101 Oakley St.); Shoe Carnival HQ (7500 E. Columbia St.); USI students and staff; University of Evansville students; east-side professionals
Near Deaconess Midtown / north side	$700–$1,000	Deaconess Health System (600 Mary St.); Ascension St. Vincent (3700 Washington Ave.); healthcare workers; travel nurses; Ivy Tech nursing students; Deaconess-adjacent medical offices
Newburgh (Warrick County; eastern suburb)	$950–$1,350	Berry Global executives; Deaconess Women’s Hospital (4199 Gateway Blvd.); Alcoa Warrick employees (~1,000; 4400 State Hwy 66); most affluent Evansville suburb; premium single-family rentals; highest Evansville MSA rents
West side / near Toyota supply chain corridor	$600–$850	CenterPoint Energy operations workers; Toyota Princeton commuters; light manufacturing; most affordable Evansville submarket; workforce housing
Near USI campus / University Blvd. (west)	$620–$900	USI students (11,500 enrollment); off-campus student housing; Ivy Tech students; affordable workforce housing; Lloyd Expressway (SR 62) access
Near University of Evansville / Lincoln Ave.	$650–$950	UE students (~2,500); Marian University osteopathic medical students; Krannert School graduates; east-side residential neighborhoods
Henderson, KY (cross-river; KY jurisdiction)	$550–$800	Evansville commuters (US-41 bridge; ~5 miles); lower KY taxes; lower rents; KRS Ch. 383 URLTA applies — NOT Indiana Code; different deposit/notice rules

Indiana landlord compliance checklist for Evansville 2026

1. No rent control (IC §36-1-3-8 Dillon’s Rule): raise rent by any amount at lease expiration. No registration, no rent board, no hearing, no government notification required. For month-to-month tenancies, provide at least 1 month’s advance written notice before the increase takes effect (IC §32-31-1-1).
2. No deposit cap (IC §32-31-3): collect any agreed security deposit amount. Evansville 2026 market norm is 1–2 months’ rent. Document the deposit amount explicitly in the written lease or rental agreement.
3. DUAL-TRIGGER: require written forwarding address at move-out (IC §32-31-3-12): the 45-day deposit return clock does NOT start until the tenant has BOTH vacated AND provided a written forwarding address. Include an explicit lease clause and a move-out form requiring delivery of written forwarding address at key surrender. Require signed acknowledgment of delivery.
4. Return deposit within 45 days of both triggers (IC §32-31-3-12): provide the deposit balance together with an itemized written statement of all deductions within 45 days of both triggers being satisfied. Normal wear and tear is NOT deductible in Indiana.
5. 2× wrongful-withholding exposure (IC §32-31-3-12(a)(2)): wrongful withholding or failure to meet the 45-day dual-trigger deadline exposes the Evansville landlord to 2× the wrongfully withheld amount plus reasonable attorney’s fees. Maintain time-stamped move-in and move-out photographs and itemized contractor invoices or receipts for all deductions claimed.
6. Serve 10-day pay-or-vacate notice for non-payment (IC §32-31-1-6): the written notice must state the exact amount of rent overdue and give the tenant 10 days to pay in full or vacate. After 10 days without full payment or surrender, file an eviction complaint at Vanderburgh County Superior Court, 825 Sycamore St., Evansville IN 47708; (812) 435-5180.
7. Month-to-month termination (IC §32-31-1-1): provide at least 1 month’s advance written notice to terminate a month-to-month tenancy. Either party may terminate on this notice.
8. Reasonable entry notice (IC §32-31-5-6): provide reasonable advance notice (Evansville market practice: 24 hours) before non-emergency entry. Emergency entry (fire, flooding, burst pipe, gas leak, utility emergency) requires no advance notice. Conduct non-emergency entry during normal business hours.
9. Habitability (IC §32-31-8-5): maintain the Evansville rental unit in habitable condition. Maintain heating (January average low ~25°F), cooling (July average high ~88°F), plumbing, electrical systems, structural integrity, and pest extermination. Comply with applicable City of Evansville housing codes and Vanderburgh County ordinances. If the tenant provides 14 days’ written notice of a material habitability breach and the landlord fails to cure, the tenant may terminate the tenancy or seek a rent reduction through Vanderburgh County Superior Court.
10. No self-help eviction: locking out a tenant, cutting utilities, removing doors or windows, or removing tenant property without a court order is prohibited in Indiana and exposes the landlord to actual damages and injunctive relief from Vanderburgh County Superior Court. Always proceed through the formal court process. Note for Evansville landlords with Henderson, KY properties: Kentucky’s KRS §383.505(2) similarly prohibits self-help eviction, but the deposit and notice rules are materially different — KY’s 30-day single-trigger deposit return (KRS §383.580) does not require a written forwarding address to start the clock.

Further reading

• Indianapolis IN rent increase 2026 — Indiana Dillon’s Rule; IC §32-31; Eli Lilly HQ; IU Health; Salesforce Tower; Indiana’s largest city
• Fort Wayne IN rent increase 2026 — Indiana Dillon’s Rule; IC §32-31; Parkview Health Level I Trauma; Steel Dynamics HQ (NASDAQ:STLD); Sweetwater Sound HQ; Do it Best Corp HQ; Indiana’s 2nd-largest city
• South Bend IN rent increase 2026 — Indiana Dillon’s Rule; IC §32-31; University of Notre Dame; Beacon Health System; Indiana’s 4th-largest city
• Louisville KY rent increase 2026 — KRS Chapter 383 URLTA; Jefferson County; Humana HQ; UPS Worldport; Kentucky 14-day pay-or-vacate; 2 hours east of Evansville
• Nashville TN rent increase 2026 — TCA §66-28; Davidson County; HCA Healthcare HQ; no rent control; Southeast comparison
• Columbus OH rent increase 2026 — Ohio preemption; ORC §1923; Nationwide; JPMorgan Chase Columbus campus; Ohio 3-day pay-or-quit (vs. Indiana’s 10-day)