City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 12.5% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $112,500 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $646 a year higher in Shreveport, LA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Shreveport, LA ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,881 in Shreveport | $112,510 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$646/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$646/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Cincinnati → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $61,850 | $69,587 (+7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $96,680 | $108,774 (−10.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $70,420 | $79,229 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $80,080 | $90,098 (+7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.