Anderson vs Fishers

Which is the better fit for you?

Anderson, IN
55
Area Score
Bottom 35% nationally
Fishers, IN
75
Area Score
Top 4% nationally

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Fishers receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.

If you are moving

What the difference in prices, rent, homes and weather comes to, using the published figures for the two places. Add your income to see what it would take to keep pace.

Moving from Anderson to Fishers

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Everyday prices
About the same
Regional price level 94.7 against 94.7 (US = 100). Both places sit in the same price region, so the index cannot tell them apart.
Income to keep the same purchasing power
Enter your household income to see it.
A new two-bedroom lease
+$549 a month
HUD benchmarks it at $1,929 in Fishers against $1,380 in Anderson.
The median home
229% more
$391,000 in Fishers against $119,000 in Anderson.
The weather you would swap
Similar winters
Normal January lows are 21°F in Fishers against 21°F in Anderson; July highs are 85°F against 86°F (summers 1°F cooler).

These are differences between published figures, not a forecast of your budget. Income and sales taxes, commuting, schools, insurance and the job you would actually get are not in them, and a price index describes a metropolitan area, so two places in one metro read the same. HUD’s rent is a benchmark for a new lease, not a listing.

Signals

Anderson
Fishers
Opportunity: Fishers is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 34%
vs
81 · Top 7%
Growth: Fishers is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs
56 · Top 37%
Climate
68 · Bottom 40%
vs
68 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience: Fishers is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
72 · Top 34%
vs
76 · Top 30%
Housing affordability: Fishers is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
71 · Top 37%
vs
81 · Top 11%
Schools: Fishers is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
18 · Bottom 10%
vs
78 · Top 15%
Access: Fishers is the more favorable of the two.
Access
79 · Bottom 20%
vs
90 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability: Fishers is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 7%
vs
79 · Top 5%

Measured values

MetricAndersonFishersSource period
Population55,367102,3372024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income$46,909$130,203 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income$28,833$57,737 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Population density1,329/sq mi2,828/sq mi2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value$119,000$391,0002024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent$925 — more favorable$1,6112024 ACS 5-Year
Market rent, two bedroom$1,380 — more favorable$1,929FY2026
Cost of living index94.794.72023
Homeownership rate55.5%76.2%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment rate4.1%3.0% — more favorableJuly 2026
Employment change (year over year)−0.9%−0.9%July 2026
Bachelor's degree or higher15.7%66.4% — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate20.6%3.9% — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units permitted (12 months)5557712 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents1.05.6 — more favorable12 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)−5.2%−27.5%12 months ending July 2026
Average July high86°F85°F1991-2020 Normals
Average January low21°F21°F1991-2020 Normals
Annual precipitation40.3"40.7"1991-2020 Normals
Distance to major airport41 mi24 mi — more favorableNASR current cycle
Average commute26.7 min — more favorable28.6 min2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age38.937.62024 ACS 5-Year
Public schools10202024-25 school year
Students per teacher14.0 — more favorable17.82024-25 school year
Math proficiency26.2%67.7% — more favorable2018-19 school year
Reading proficiency30.9%70.3% — more favorable2018-19 school year
Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility62.2%21.7%2024-25 school year

A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.

The number of units permitted is not marked because the larger place always permits more; the per-resident rate is the fair comparison. The year-over-year change is not marked either: a percentage on fewer than 300 units swings on a handful of permits.

Physical risk tradeoff

Anderson

Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.

Fishers

Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.

Your best match

Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.

Anderson
—
Anderson: Your Score
55
Area Score
Fishers
—
Fishers: Your Score
75
Area Score

Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.

Full profiles: Anderson, IN · Fishers, IN · How this is calculated: methodology