City comparison

Baton Rouge, LA vs New Orleans, LA

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

Prices in New Orleans, LA are 2.0% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $102,000 in New Orleans, LA to live the same way.
Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA and $1,113 in New Orleans, LA.
Both are in LA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $2,614 a year on $100,000.
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 New Orleans, LA changes real buying power by −2.0%, purely from prices.

Baton RougeNew Orleans

Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108

Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
New Orleans, LA: price level 92.6 (cheaper)

Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations^9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels².

Side by side

	Baton Rouge, LA	New Orleans, LA
Price level (U.S. = 100)²	90.8	92.6
$100,000 is worth, in the other city²	$102,002 in New Orleans	$98,038 in Baton Rouge
Typical 1-bedroom rent³	$1,064/mo	$1,113/mo
Take-home on $100,000^14,15,8	$76,566	$76,566
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)⁸	$2,614 (LA)	$2,614 (LA)
Rent burden on $100,000	17%	17%
Median pay, all jobs⁴	$48,710	$47,290
Federal locality pay area⁷	Rest of U.S.	Rest of U.S.

Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and New Orleans-Metairie, LA.

What costs more or less

Baton Rouge, LANew Orleans, LA

Price level (U.S. = 100)	Baton Rouge	New Orleans
Housing (rent)	74.2	86.0
Goods	93.7	93.7
Utilities	71.2	71.2
Other services	95.7	95.7
Overall	90.8	92.6

BEA Regional Price Parities². Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Baton Rouge, LA → New Orleans, LA

Roughly even

Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.

63 Fair offer

New Orleans, LA → Baton Rouge, LA

Same pay goes further

Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.

75 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 New Orleans, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade^5,2	Baton Rouge, LA	New Orleans, LA	Real change, Baton Rouge → New Orleans
GS-9 step 1	$61,722	$61,722	−2.0%
GS-11 step 1	$74,678	$74,678	−2.0%
GS-12 step 1	$89,508	$89,508	−2.0%
GS-13 step 1	$106,437	$106,437	−2.0%
GS-14 step 1	$125,776	$125,776	−2.0%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay⁴	Baton Rouge, LA	New Orleans, LA	New Orleans pay in Baton Rouge dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$59,310	$60,350	$59,166 (−0.2%)
Software Developers	$101,900	$106,950	$104,851 (+2.9%)
Accountants and Auditors	$73,070	$77,940	$76,411 (+4.6%)
Registered Nurses	$81,130	$81,850	$80,244 (−1.1%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.