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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 4 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Louisiana using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Shrev…
#1 Ranked: Shreveport — cost index 85, rent $1,170/mo, income $48,465
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport | $1,170 | 19% | 85 | Details |
| 2 | Lafayette | $1,279 | 20% | 90 | Details |
| 3 | Baton Rouge | $1,312 | 21% | 91 | Details |
| 4 | New Orleans | $1,625 | 26% | 97 | Details |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 4 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Louisiana using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Shreveport comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
At $1,170/month for rent and a cost index of 85, Shreveport is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. And in practical terms, income is $48,465. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
On a $75K salary, the key number is $1,875/month — for better or worse — — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Shreveport ($1,170/mo, 19%), Lafayette ($1,279/mo, 20%), Baton Rouge ($1,312/mo, 21%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $54,522 to $54,522/year across these top picks.
The trade-off becomes clearer when you add healthcare into the mix. Across Louisiana, the average cost of living index is 91 — 21 points below the national median. Known for Cajun culture and below-average costs, the state offers 4 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,347/month. That's $548 less than the national average of $1,895. This is an advantage that compounds over time.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours. One to watch.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 4 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
Rent in #1-ranked Shreveport has increased from $1,138 to $1,170/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
177,959 residents · Louisiana
Here's Shreveport by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 85. Rent: $1,170/month. Income: $48,465/year. Home price: $134,461. Population: 177,959. The strongest category is Housing at 62; the most expensive is Healthcare at 87. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $8,700 per year vs. the national median. The data here speaks for itself.
121,467 residents · Louisiana
Lafayette comes in at #2. Rent is $1,279 a month. Household income is $61,454. The cost of living index is 90. Moving on.
219,573 residents · Louisiana
Here's Baton Rouge by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 91. Rent: $1,312/month. Income: $49,944/year. Home price: $224,899. Population: 219,573. The strongest category is Housing at 78; the most expensive is Healthcare at 94. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $6,996 per year vs. the national median. If you plug these numbers into any cost calculator, they hold up.
364,136 residents · Louisiana
Here's New Orleans by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 97. Rent: $1,625/month. Income: $55,339/year. Home price: $239,751. Population: 364,136. The strongest category is Utilities at 89; the most expensive is Healthcare at 100. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $3,240 per year vs. the national median. Over thirty years of homeownership, the property tax savings alone are staggering.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Shreveport | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $54,522 |
2Lafayette | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $54,522 |
3Baton Rouge | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $54,522 |
4New Orleans | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $54,522 |
We calculate what percentage of a $75K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Shreveport ranks #1 in Louisiana for this analysis with a cost index of 85 and median income of $48,465.
Yes. On a $75K salary in Shreveport, rent would consume about 19% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Shreveport (ranked #1) has a cost index of 85 and rent of $1,170/mo, while New Orleans (ranked #4) has a cost index of 97 and rent of $1,625/mo — a 12-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Shreveport is $1,170/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $725 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 4.25% state income tax, estimated take-home on $75K in Shreveport is approximately $54,522/year ($4,544/month). After median rent of $1,170/month, you'd have roughly $40,482/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Shreveport is $134,461, which is 2.8× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Louisiana has a 4.25% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 9.55%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.51%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.