City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 21.0% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $121,000 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $456 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Shreveport, LA ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −17.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.8% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- 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
| Philadelphia, PA | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,655 in Shreveport | $120,985 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$456/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$456/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Philadelphia → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | +9.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | +9.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | +9.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | +9.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | +9.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $61,850 | $74,829 (−4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $96,680 | $116,968 (−12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $70,420 | $85,198 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $80,080 | $96,885 (−4.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.