City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, GA are 5.3% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $105,300 in Columbus, GA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $939 a month in Columbus, GA and $982 in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,953 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Shreveport, LA ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much 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
| Columbus, GA | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,927 in Shreveport | $105,344 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,953/yr.
85 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Columbus, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,953/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Columbus → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $61,850 | $65,155 (+6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $96,680 | $101,847 (−12.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $70,420 | $74,183 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $80,080 | $84,360 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.