City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 14.1% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $114,100 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,191 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Chicago, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +14.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,117 in Chicago | $87,630 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,191/yr.
37 Weak offer
Chicago, IL → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,191/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Chicago, IL | Real change, Baton Rouge → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $78,390 | $68,693 (+15.8%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $134,380 | $117,757 (+15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $82,360 | $72,172 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $100,490 | $88,059 (+8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.