City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 12.6% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $112,600 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $646 a year higher in Shreveport, LA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Shreveport, LA ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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, OH | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,789 in Shreveport | $112,627 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$646/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$646/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Columbus → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $61,850 | $69,660 (−10.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $96,680 | $108,887 (−11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $70,420 | $79,312 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $80,080 | $90,191 (+7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.