City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 18.3% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $118,300 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Detroit, MI and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,386 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Shreveport, LA ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.3% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,514 in Shreveport | $118,323 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,386/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,386/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Detroit → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $61,850 | $73,183 (+12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $96,680 | $114,395 (−12.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $70,420 | $83,323 (+3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $80,080 | $94,753 (−2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.