City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 13.1% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $113,100 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,246 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Shreveport, LA ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- 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
| Buffalo, NY | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,442 in Shreveport | $113,069 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,246/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,246/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Buffalo → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $61,850 | $69,933 (−8.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $96,680 | $109,315 (−14.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $70,420 | $79,623 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $80,080 | $90,546 (−8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.