City comparison
Shreveport, LA vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spartanburg, SC are 7.4% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $107,400 in Spartanburg, SC to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,083 a month in Spartanburg, SC versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,229 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC 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 Shreveport, LA to Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by −6.9%, purely from prices.
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Shreveport, LA | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 84.8 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,415 in Spartanburg | $93,097 in Shreveport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $982/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,820 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Shreveport-Bossier City, LA and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Shreveport | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 52.3 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 72.6 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 84.8 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Shreveport, LA → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,229/yr.
47 Fair offer
Spartanburg, SC → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,229/yr.
92 Strong 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 Shreveport, LA to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Shreveport, LA | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Shreveport → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Shreveport, LA | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Shreveport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,850 | $60,990 | $56,780 (−8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $96,680 | $114,460 | $106,559 (+10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,420 | $77,080 | $71,759 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,080 | $82,360 | $76,675 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.