City comparison
Memphis, TN vs New Orleans, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Memphis, TN (92.2) and New Orleans, LA (92.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Memphis, TN goes as far as $100,500 in New Orleans, LA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN and $1,113 in New Orleans, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in New Orleans, LA than in Memphis, TN.
- 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 Memphis, TN to New Orleans, LA changes real buying power by −0.5%, purely from prices.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- New Orleans, LA: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Memphis, TN | New Orleans, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,453 in New Orleans | $99,549 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $47,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | New Orleans |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → New Orleans, LA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
67 Fair offer
New Orleans, LA → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
70 Strong 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 Memphis, TN to New Orleans, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | New Orleans, LA | Real change, Memphis → New Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | New Orleans, LA | New Orleans pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $60,350 | $60,078 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $106,950 | $106,467 (−15.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $77,940 | $77,588 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $81,850 | $81,481 (−0.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.