City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 24.1% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $124,100 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,078 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Shreveport, LA ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −19.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.3% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $80,575 in Shreveport | $124,109 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +24.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,078/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −19.4%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,078/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Boulder → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +11.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +11.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +11.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +11.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +11.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $61,850 | $76,761 (−4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $96,680 | $119,988 (−27.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $70,420 | $87,397 (−12.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $80,080 | $99,386 (−3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.