City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Gulfport, MS
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 Gulfport, MS (90.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA goes as far as $99,100 in Gulfport, MS.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA versus $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Baton Rouge, LA and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $654 a year higher in Gulfport, MS than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- 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 Gulfport, MS changes real buying power by +0.9%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (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 | Gulfport, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 90.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,147 in Gulfport | $100,860 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $923/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $43,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Gulfport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 67.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 76.3 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 90.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Gulfport, MS
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$654/yr.
71 Strong offer
Gulfport, MS → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$654/yr.
66 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 Gulfport, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Gulfport, MS | Real change, Baton Rouge → Gulfport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Gulfport, MS | Gulfport pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $50,820 | $51,257 (−13.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $104,240 | $105,136 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $76,380 | $77,037 (+5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $78,960 | $79,639 (−1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.