City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Spartanburg, SC
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 Spartanburg, SC (91.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA goes as far as $100,300 in Spartanburg, SC.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA and $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,229 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC 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 Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by −0.3%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (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 | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,299 in Spartanburg | $99,702 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,229/yr.
68 Fair offer
Spartanburg, SC → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,229/yr.
70 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 Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Baton Rouge → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $60,990 | $60,808 (+2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $114,460 | $114,119 (+12.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $77,080 | $76,851 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $82,360 | $82,115 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.