City comparison
Santa Maria, CA vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 28.4% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $128,400 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,457 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Santa Maria, CA to Shreveport, LA ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −22.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.1% in real buying power.
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
- 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
| Santa Maria, CA | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.8 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $77,911 in Shreveport | $128,351 in Santa Maria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,746/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 44% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,690 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Santa Maria | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.4 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 149.8 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 108.8 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Santa Maria, CA → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +28.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,457/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −22.1%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$2,457/yr.
8 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Santa Maria, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Santa Maria, CA to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Santa Maria, CA | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Santa Maria → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | +10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | +10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | +10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | +10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | +10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Santa Maria, CA | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Santa Maria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,030 | $61,850 | $79,385 (−21.4%) |
| Software Developers | $158,290 | $96,680 | $124,090 (−21.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $91,610 | $70,420 | $90,385 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $137,360 | $80,080 | $102,783 (−25.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.