City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Baton Rouge, LA are 1.2% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $101,200 in Baton Rouge, LA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Baton Rouge, LA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,121 a year higher in Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by +1.2%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,790 in Montgomery | $101,224 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Montgomery, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,121/yr.
73 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,121/yr.
65 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Baton Rouge → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $107,380 | $113,270 | $114,657 (+6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $110,620 | $111,974 (+9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $75,040 | $75,959 (+4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $79,570 | $80,544 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.