City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Boston, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 19.3% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $119,300 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,166 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Boston, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +19.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Boston, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 108.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,262 in Boston | $83,849 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $2,476/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $66,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 148.4 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 103.6 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 108.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.2%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$2,166/yr.
15 Weak offer
Boston, MA → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,166/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Boston, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Boston, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Boston, MA | Real change, Baton Rouge → Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Boston, MA | Boston pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $98,060 | $82,222 (+38.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $166,090 | $139,265 (+36.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $100,150 | $83,975 (+14.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $106,180 | $89,031 (+9.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.