City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Memphis, TN are 1.5% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $101,500 in Memphis, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Baton Rouge, LA than in Memphis, 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 Memphis, TN changes real buying power by −1.5%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,541 in Memphis | $98,482 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,154/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 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
64 Fair offer
Memphis, TN → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
74 Strong 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 Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Memphis, TN | Real change, Baton Rouge → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $61,510 | $60,576 (+2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $125,580 | $123,674 (+21.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $76,960 | $75,792 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $81,500 | $80,263 (−1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.