City comparison
Green Bay, WI vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Green Bay, WI are 6.7% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $106,700 in Green Bay, WI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $931 a month in Green Bay, WI and $898 in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,306 a year higher in Green Bay, WI than in Lafayette, 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 Green Bay, WI to Lafayette, LA changes real buying power by +6.7%, purely from prices.
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Green Bay, WI | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,686 in Lafayette | $106,739 in Green Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $931/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,940 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Green Bay | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.7 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Green Bay, WI → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,306/yr.
90 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Green Bay, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,306/yr.
49 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 Green Bay, WI to Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Green Bay, WI | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Green Bay → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Green Bay, WI | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Green Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,600 | $47,770 | $50,989 (−15.9%) |
| Software Developers | $103,160 | $109,010 | $116,356 (+12.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,720 | $67,630 | $72,188 (−7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,700 | $81,960 | $87,483 (+3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.