City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kansas City, MO are 9.2% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $109,200 in Kansas City, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,149 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Kansas City, MO to Shreveport, LA ($108,173 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.4% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (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
| Kansas City, MO | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,596 in Shreveport | $109,175 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,149/yr.
97 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Kansas City, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,149/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Kansas City → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $61,722 | +7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $74,678 | +7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $89,508 | +7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $106,437 | +7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $125,776 | +7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $61,850 | $67,525 (+10.6%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $96,680 | $105,550 (−15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $70,420 | $76,881 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $80,080 | $87,427 (+5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.