City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Boulder, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 15.9% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $115,900 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,078 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Boulder, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +15.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Boulder, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 105.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,887 in Boulder | $86,291 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,795/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $69,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Boulder, CO MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Boulder, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 157.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 82.7 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 105.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,078/yr.
32 Weak offer
Boulder, CO → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,078/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Boulder, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Boulder, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Boulder, CO | Real change, Baton Rouge → Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Boulder, CO | Boulder pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $80,640 | $69,585 (+17.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $164,560 | $142,001 (+39.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $99,990 | $86,283 (+18.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $103,290 | $89,130 (+9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.