City comparison

Baltimore, MD vs New Orleans, LA

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

Key findings

Prices in Baltimore, MD are 12.8% higher than in New Orleans, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in New Orleans, LA would need about $112,800 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,113 in New Orleans, LA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 17% in New Orleans, LA.
On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in New Orleans, LA.
For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to New Orleans, LA ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.

BaltimoreNew Orleans

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

Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
New Orleans, LA: price level 92.6 (cheaper)

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

Side by side

	Baltimore, MD	New Orleans, LA
Price level (U.S. = 100)²	104.5	92.6
$100,000 is worth, in the other city²	$88,621 in New Orleans	$112,841 in Baltimore
Typical 1-bedroom rent³	$1,511/mo	$1,113/mo
Take-home on $100,000^14,15,8	$74,794	$76,566
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)⁸	$4,386 (MD)	$2,614 (LA)
Rent burden on $100,000	24%	17%
Median pay, all jobs⁴	$59,070	$47,290
Federal locality pay area⁷	Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA	Rest of U.S.

Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and New Orleans-Metairie, LA.

What costs more or less

Baltimore, MDNew Orleans, LA

Price level (U.S. = 100)	Baltimore	New Orleans
Housing (rent)	118.2	86.0
Goods	102.4	93.7
Utilities	110.2	71.2
Other services	101.5	95.7
Overall	104.5	92.6

BEA Regional Price Parities². Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Baltimore, MD → New Orleans, LA

Same pay goes further

Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.

100 Strong offer

New Orleans, LA → Baltimore, MD

Same pay buys less

Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.

38 Weak offer

On the GS pay scale?

Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; New Orleans, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to New Orleans, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade^5,2	Baltimore, MD	New Orleans, LA	Real change, Baltimore → New Orleans
GS-9 step 1	$70,623	$61,722	−1.4%
GS-11 step 1	$85,447	$74,678	−1.4%
GS-12 step 1	$102,415	$89,508	−1.4%
GS-13 step 1	$121,785	$106,437	−1.4%
GS-14 step 1	$143,913	$125,776	−1.4%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay⁴	Baltimore, MD	New Orleans, LA	New Orleans pay in Baltimore dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$76,400	$60,350	$68,099 (−10.9%)
Software Developers	$138,900	$106,950	$120,683 (−13.1%)
Accountants and Auditors	$85,160	$77,940	$87,948 (+3.3%)
Registered Nurses	$99,550	$81,850	$92,360 (−7.2%)

"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.