City comparison
Reno, NV vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 19.2% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $119,200 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Shreveport, LA than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Reno, NV to Shreveport, LA ($106,855 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.7% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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
| Reno, NV | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,915 in Shreveport | $119,168 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Reno → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $61,722 | +18.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $74,678 | +18.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $89,508 | +18.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $106,437 | +18.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $125,776 | +18.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $61,850 | $73,705 (+18.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $96,680 | $115,212 (−8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $70,420 | $83,918 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $80,080 | $95,430 (−11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.