City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lansing, MI are 4.6% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $104,600 in Lansing, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA and $1,012 in Lansing, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,386 a year higher in Lansing, MI than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Lansing, MI ($106,437 → $117,402), while prices change by +4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,639 in Lansing | $95,567 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,012/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Lansing, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,386/yr.
55 Fair offer
Lansing, MI → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,386/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Lansing, MI | Real change, Baton Rouge → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,081 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,372 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,729 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,402 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,734 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $72,930 | $69,697 (+17.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $97,120 | $92,815 (−8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $79,210 | $75,699 (+3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $84,320 | $80,582 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.