City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Birmingham, AL are 8.1% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $108,100 in Birmingham, AL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Birmingham, AL and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,121 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Birmingham, AL to Shreveport, LA ($107,510 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.0% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Birmingham, AL | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,495 in Shreveport | $108,114 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,121/yr.
94 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Birmingham, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$2,121/yr.
45 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Birmingham → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $61,722 | +7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $74,678 | +7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $89,508 | +7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $106,437 | +7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $125,776 | +7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $61,850 | $66,869 (+6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $96,680 | $104,525 (−16.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $70,420 | $76,134 (−3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $80,080 | $86,578 (+10.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.