City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Montgomery, AL are 5.8% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $105,800 in Montgomery, AL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $982 a month in Shreveport, LA versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Shreveport, LA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,121 a year higher in Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL to Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +5.8%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much 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
| Montgomery, AL | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,518 in Shreveport | $105,799 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,121/yr.
87 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,121/yr.
52 Fair 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 Montgomery, AL to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Montgomery → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $61,850 | $65,437 (+9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $96,680 | $102,287 (−7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $70,420 | $74,504 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $80,080 | $84,724 (+6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.