City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in El Paso, TX are 6.1% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $106,100 in El Paso, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,013 a month in El Paso, TX and $982 in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Shreveport, LA than in El Paso, TX.
- 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 El Paso, TX to Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +6.1%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (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
| El Paso, TX | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,277 in Shreveport | $106,071 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
88 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → El Paso, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
51 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 El Paso, TX to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Shreveport, LA | Real change, El Paso → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $61,850 | $65,605 (+2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $96,680 | $102,549 (−19.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $70,420 | $74,695 (+13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $80,080 | $84,942 (−1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.