City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 6.7% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $106,700 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA and $1,081 in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $323 a year higher in Baton Rouge, LA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.5% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,737 in Tucson | $93,688 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$323/yr.
49 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$323/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Baton Rouge → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $47,220 | $44,240 (−25.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $123,710 | $115,902 (+13.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $76,320 | $71,503 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $94,110 | $88,170 (+8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.