City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 3.5% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $103,500 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA and $1,058 in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $646 a year higher in Baton Rouge, LA than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Cleveland, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by +3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,462 in Cleveland | $96,654 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$646/yr.
58 Fair offer
Cleveland, OH → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$646/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Baton Rouge → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $76,470 | $73,911 (+24.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $111,310 | $107,585 (+5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $80,000 | $77,323 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $83,940 | $81,131 (+0.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.