City comparison

Bakersfield, CA vs Baton Rouge, LA

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

Prices in Bakersfield, CA are 11.1% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $111,100 in Bakersfield, CA to live the same way.
Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,140 a month in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Bakersfield, CA and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,457 a year higher in Bakersfield, CA than in Baton Rouge, LA.
For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Bakersfield, CA to Baton Rouge, LA ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.7% in real buying power.

BakersfieldBaton Rouge

Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108

Bakersfield, CA: price level 100.9 (about average)
Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)

Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations^9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels².

Side by side

	Bakersfield, CA	Baton Rouge, LA
Price level (U.S. = 100)²	100.9	90.8
$100,000 is worth, in the other city²	$89,983 in Baton Rouge	$111,132 in Bakersfield
Typical 1-bedroom rent³	$1,140/mo	$1,064/mo
Take-home on $100,000^14,15,8	$74,110	$76,566
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)⁸	$5,070 (CA)	$2,614 (LA)
Rent burden on $100,000	18%	17%
Median pay, all jobs⁴	$47,470	$48,710
Federal locality pay area⁷	Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA	Rest of U.S.

Rent areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA and Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA and Baton Rouge, LA.

What costs more or less

Bakersfield, CABaton Rouge, LA

Price level (U.S. = 100)	Bakersfield	Baton Rouge
Housing (rent)	90.3	74.2
Goods	105.2	93.7
Utilities	158.3	71.2
Other services	100.3	95.7
Overall	100.9	90.8

BEA Regional Price Parities². Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Bakersfield, CA → Baton Rouge, LA

Same pay goes further

Buying power +11.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,457/yr.

100 Strong offer

Baton Rouge, LA → Bakersfield, CA

Same pay buys less

Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,457/yr.

38 Weak offer

On the GS pay scale?

Bakersfield, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Baton Rouge, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bakersfield, CA to Baton Rouge, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade^5,2	Bakersfield, CA	Baton Rouge, LA	Real change, Bakersfield → Baton Rouge
GS-9 step 1	$71,957	$61,722	−4.7%
GS-11 step 1	$87,061	$74,678	−4.7%
GS-12 step 1	$104,349	$89,508	−4.7%
GS-13 step 1	$124,085	$106,437	−4.7%
GS-14 step 1	$146,632	$125,776	−4.7%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay⁴	Bakersfield, CA	Baton Rouge, LA	Baton Rouge pay in Bakersfield dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$79,900	$59,310	$65,913 (−17.5%)
Software Developers	$130,330	$101,900	$113,244 (−13.1%)
Accountants and Auditors	$79,620	$73,070	$81,204 (+2.0%)
Registered Nurses	$128,810	$81,130	$90,162 (−30.0%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.