City comparison
Madison, WI vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 14.8% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $114,800 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,306 a year higher in Madison, WI 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 Madison, WI to Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +14.8%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,130 in Shreveport | $114,771 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,306/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,306/yr.
38 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Madison, WI to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Madison → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +14.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +14.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +14.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +14.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +14.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $104,110 | $85,030 | $97,590 (−6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $96,680 | $110,961 (−15.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $70,420 | $80,822 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $80,080 | $91,909 (−9.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.