City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 7.8% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $107,800 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,322 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by +7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.1% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,797 in Richmond | $92,767 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$2,322/yr.
46 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,322/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Richmond, VA | Real change, Baton Rouge → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $61,290 | $56,857 (−4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $132,120 | $122,564 (+20.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $84,220 | $78,128 (+6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $93,580 | $86,811 (+7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.