City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Columbia, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 3.2% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $103,200 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,229 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Columbia, SC changes real buying power by −3.1%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Columbia, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 93.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,175 in Columbia | $96,923 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,164/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $46,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Columbia, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 79.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 93.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$2,229/yr.
59 Fair offer
Columbia, SC → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,229/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Columbia, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Columbia, SC | Real change, Baton Rouge → Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Columbia, SC | Columbia pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $60,050 | $58,202 (−1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $123,380 | $119,584 (+17.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $69,210 | $67,080 (−8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $81,920 | $79,399 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.