City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 21.9% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $121,900 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $323 a year higher in Shreveport, LA than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Shreveport, LA ($111,338 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.5% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (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
| Phoenix, AZ | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,045 in Shreveport | $121,884 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$323/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$323/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Phoenix → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $61,722 | +16.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $74,678 | +16.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $89,508 | +16.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $106,437 | +16.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $125,776 | +16.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $61,850 | $75,385 (+27.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $96,680 | $117,837 (−10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $70,420 | $85,831 (+6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $80,080 | $97,605 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.