City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greenville, SC are 10.0% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $110,000 in Greenville, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,229 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Shreveport, LA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Greenville, SC to Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +10.0%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,892 in Shreveport | $110,021 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,229/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Greenville, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,229/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Greenville, SC to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Greenville → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $61,850 | $68,048 (+12.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $96,680 | $106,368 (−12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $70,420 | $77,476 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $80,080 | $88,104 (+8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.