City comparison
Louisville, KY vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Louisville, KY are 9.8% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $109,800 in Louisville, KY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,047 a month in Louisville, KY versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Louisville, KY and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $769 a year higher in Louisville, KY 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 Louisville, KY to Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +9.8%, purely from prices.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (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
| Louisville, KY | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,074 in Shreveport | $109,801 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,370 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$769/yr.
99 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Louisville, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$769/yr.
41 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 Louisville, KY to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Louisville → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +9.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +9.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +9.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +9.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +9.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $61,850 | $67,912 (+10.2%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $96,680 | $106,156 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $70,420 | $77,322 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $80,080 | $87,929 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.