City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 20.5% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $120,500 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,457 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Shreveport, LA ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −17.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.9% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,975 in Shreveport | $120,518 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,457/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,457/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Fresno → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +19.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +19.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +19.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +19.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +19.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $61,850 | $74,540 (−5.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $96,680 | $116,516 (−9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $70,420 | $84,869 (+7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $80,080 | $96,511 (−23.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.