City comparison

Longview, TX vs New Orleans, LA

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

Prices in New Orleans, LA are 3.5% higher than in Longview, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Longview, TX would need about $103,500 in New Orleans, LA to live the same way.
Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in New Orleans, LA versus $1,013 in Longview, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in New Orleans, LA and 15% in Longview, TX.
On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in New Orleans, LA than in Longview, TX.
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 Longview, TX to New Orleans, LA changes real buying power by −3.4%, purely from prices.

LongviewNew Orleans

Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108

Longview, TX: price level 89.5 (much cheaper)
New Orleans, LA: price level 92.6 (cheaper)

Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations^9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels².

Side by side

	Longview, TX	New Orleans, LA
Price level (U.S. = 100)²	89.5	92.6
$100,000 is worth, in the other city²	$103,478 in New Orleans	$96,639 in Longview
Typical 1-bedroom rent³	$1,013/mo	$1,113/mo
Take-home on $100,000^14,15,8	$79,180	$76,566
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)⁸	$0 (TX)	$2,614 (LA)
Rent burden on $100,000	15%	17%
Median pay, all jobs⁴	$45,150	$47,290
Federal locality pay area⁷	Rest of U.S.	Rest of U.S.

Rent areas: Longview, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Longview, TX and New Orleans-Metairie, LA.

What costs more or less

Longview, TXNew Orleans, LA

Price level (U.S. = 100)	Longview	New Orleans
Housing (rent)	66.7	86.0
Goods	93.8	93.7
Utilities	83.5	71.2
Other services	96.2	95.7
Overall	89.5	92.6

BEA Regional Price Parities². Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Longview, TX → New Orleans, LA

Same pay buys less

Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.

58 Fair offer

New Orleans, LA → Longview, TX

Same pay goes further

Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.

80 Strong 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 Longview, TX to New Orleans, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade^5,2	Longview, TX	New Orleans, LA	Real change, Longview → New Orleans
GS-9 step 1	$61,722	$61,722	−3.4%
GS-11 step 1	$74,678	$74,678	−3.4%
GS-12 step 1	$89,508	$89,508	−3.4%
GS-13 step 1	$106,437	$106,437	−3.4%
GS-14 step 1	$125,776	$125,776	−3.4%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay⁴	Longview, TX	New Orleans, LA	New Orleans pay in Longview dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$60,210	$60,350	$58,322 (−3.1%)
Software Developers	$106,360	$106,950	$103,356 (−2.8%)
Accountants and Auditors	$75,060	$77,940	$75,321 (+0.3%)
Registered Nurses	$80,330	$81,850	$79,099 (−1.5%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.