City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 15.5% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $115,500 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,663 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.0% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Minneapolis, MN ($106,437 → $116,038), while prices change by +15.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.6% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,468 in Minneapolis | $86,604 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,663/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,663/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Baton Rouge → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,290 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,415 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,582 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $116,038 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $137,123 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $79,730 | $69,049 (+16.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $130,920 | $113,382 (+11.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $86,500 | $74,912 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $103,040 | $89,237 (+10.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.