City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Palm Bay, FL are 18.0% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $118,000 in Palm Bay, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Shreveport, LA than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Shreveport, LA ($107,228 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.1% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
- 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
| Palm Bay, FL | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,762 in Shreveport | $117,978 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Palm Bay → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $61,722 | +17.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $74,678 | +17.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $89,508 | +17.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $106,437 | +17.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $125,776 | +17.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $61,850 | $72,969 (+16.7%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $96,680 | $114,061 (−13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $70,420 | $83,080 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $80,080 | $94,477 (+16.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.