City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 12.1% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $112,100 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $534 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +12.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (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 | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,109 in Providence | $89,199 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$534/yr.
38 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$534/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Providence, RI | Real change, Baton Rouge → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $86,720 | $77,353 (+30.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $130,690 | $116,574 (+14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $95,020 | $84,756 (+16.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $99,880 | $89,091 (+9.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.