City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Colorado Springs, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Colorado Springs, CO are 10.9% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $110,900 in Colorado Springs, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Colorado Springs, CO and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,078 a year higher in Colorado Springs, CO than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.6% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Colorado Springs, CO ($106,437 → $109,246), while prices change by +10.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.5% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Colorado Springs, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 100.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,935 in Colorado Springs | $90,143 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,464/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% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $52,710 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Colorado Springs, CO |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Colorado Springs, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Colorado Springs |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 116.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 83.2 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 100.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,078/yr.
38 Weak offer
Colorado Springs, CO → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.9%; 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; Colorado Springs, CO is in Colorado Springs, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Colorado Springs, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Colorado Springs, CO | Real change, Baton Rouge → Colorado Springs |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,351 | −7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,650 | −7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,870 | −7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,246 | −7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $129,096 | −7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Colorado Springs, CO | Colorado Springs pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $61,140 | $55,113 (−7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $134,280 | $121,044 (+18.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $85,000 | $76,621 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $96,140 | $86,663 (+6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.