City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 12.7% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $112,700 in Grand Rapids, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,386 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Shreveport, 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +12.7%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (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
| Grand Rapids, MI | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,717 in Shreveport | $112,717 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,386/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,386/yr.
38 Weak 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Grand Rapids → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +12.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +12.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +12.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +12.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +12.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $61,850 | $69,716 (+12.6%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $96,680 | $108,975 (+1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $70,420 | $79,376 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $80,080 | $90,264 (+7.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.