City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 11.7% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $111,700 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $456 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Shreveport, LA ($110,047 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,537 in Shreveport | $111,685 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$456/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$456/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Pittsburgh → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $61,722 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $74,678 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $89,508 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $106,437 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $125,776 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $61,850 | $69,077 (−9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $96,680 | $107,977 (−13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $70,420 | $78,649 (+2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $80,080 | $89,437 (+8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.