City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Des Moines, IA are 1.0% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $101,000 in Des Moines, IA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA and $1,109 in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $534 a year higher in Des Moines, IA than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Des Moines, IA ($106,437 → $107,301), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (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 | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,015 in Des Moines | $98,996 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Des Moines, IA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$534/yr.
66 Fair offer
Des Moines, IA → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$534/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Baton Rouge → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,223 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,284 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,234 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,301 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,797 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $61,650 | $61,031 (+2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $126,460 | $125,190 (+22.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $79,290 | $78,494 (+7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $78,630 | $77,840 (−4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.