City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 10.0% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $110,000 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Visalia, CA versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Visalia, CA and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,457 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Visalia, CA ($106,437 → $106,973), while prices change by +10.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.6% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (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 | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,964 in Visalia | $90,939 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,457/yr.
40 Weak offer
Visalia, CA → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,457/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Visalia, CA | Real change, Baton Rouge → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,033 | −8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,055 | −8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,959 | −8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,973 | −8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,410 | −8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $98,430 | $89,511 (+50.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $126,170 | $114,738 (+12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $79,400 | $72,206 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $125,180 | $113,838 (+40.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.