City comparison
Sacramento, CA vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 25.8% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $125,800 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,457 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.8% moving from Sacramento, CA to Shreveport, LA ($117,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −20.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.5% in real buying power.
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (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
| Sacramento, CA | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.7 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $79,466 in Shreveport | $125,841 in Sacramento |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,832/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,750 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sacramento | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 130.2 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 151.3 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 106.7 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sacramento, CA → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +25.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,457/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −20.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$2,457/yr.
31 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Sacramento, CA is in the Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Sacramento, CA to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sacramento, CA | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Sacramento → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,419 | $61,722 | +13.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,780 | $74,678 | +13.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,218 | $89,508 | +13.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,984 | $106,437 | +13.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $139,422 | $125,776 | +13.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sacramento, CA | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Sacramento dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $103,390 | $61,850 | $77,832 (−24.7%) |
| Software Developers | $139,640 | $96,680 | $121,663 (−12.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,110 | $70,420 | $88,617 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $171,460 | $80,080 | $100,773 (−41.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.