City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baton Rouge, LA are 1.7% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $101,700 in Baton Rouge, LA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Baton Rouge, LA and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,953 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Columbus, GA ($106,437 → $112,556), while prices change by −1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (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 | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,365 in Columbus | $101,662 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Columbus, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,953/yr.
74 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,953/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Columbus, GA | Real change, Baton Rouge → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,271 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,972 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $94,654 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $112,556 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,007 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $61,360 | $62,380 (+5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $116,150 | $118,080 (+15.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $73,640 | $74,864 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $82,500 | $83,871 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.