City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Clarksville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Baton Rouge, LA (90.8) and Clarksville, TN (90.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA goes as far as $100,200 in Clarksville, TN.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA and $1,094 in Clarksville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Baton Rouge, LA than in Clarksville, TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Clarksville, TN changes real buying power by −0.2%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Clarksville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 90.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,184 in Clarksville | $99,816 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,094/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $44,860 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Clarksville, TN-KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Clarksville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 73.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 72.5 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 90.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Clarksville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
68 Fair offer
Clarksville, TN → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Clarksville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Clarksville, TN | Real change, Baton Rouge → Clarksville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Clarksville, TN | Clarksville pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $59,760 | $59,650 (+0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $96,650 | $96,473 (−5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $72,760 | $72,626 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $79,450 | $79,304 (−2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.