City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 13.7% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $113,700 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Shreveport, LA than in Nashville, TN.
- 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 Nashville, TN to Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +13.7%, purely from prices.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (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
| Nashville, TN | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,988 in Shreveport | $113,652 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
38 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 Nashville, TN to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Nashville → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +13.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +13.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +13.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +13.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +13.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $61,850 | $70,294 (+14.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $96,680 | $109,878 (−13.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $70,420 | $80,034 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $80,080 | $91,012 (+8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.