City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 16.5% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $116,500 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,078 a year higher in Denver, 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 Denver, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +16.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.3% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,526 in Denver | $85,818 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,754/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% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$1,078/yr.
33 Weak offer
Denver, CO → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.5%; 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; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Denver, CO | Real change, Baton Rouge → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $76,910 | $66,003 (+11.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $137,610 | $118,094 (+15.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $100,020 | $85,835 (+17.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $101,130 | $86,788 (+7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.