City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 16.1% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $116,100 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,578 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Shreveport, 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 Boise City, ID to Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +16.1%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,152 in Shreveport | $116,074 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,578/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,578/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 Boise City, ID to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Boise City → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +16.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +16.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +16.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +16.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +16.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $61,850 | $71,792 (+17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $96,680 | $112,220 (−14.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $70,420 | $81,739 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $80,080 | $92,952 (−5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.