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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Louisiana's value. 4 out of 4 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Shreveport at index 85, where median rent of $1,170/month saves renters $8,700/year versus the national median.
#1 Ranked: Shreveport — cost index 85, rent $1,170/mo, income $48,465
Shreveport rent up 3% over the past year
4 of 4 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Dollar for dollar, few states match Louisiana's value. 4 out of 4 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Shreveport at index 85, where median rent of $1,170/month saves renters $8,700/year versus the national median.
What does daily life actually cost in Shreveport? Start with the 29% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 62) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 87) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $48,465 and homes at $134,461 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
The housing sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 77 (the top-10 average here) means housing costs are about 23% below the national median. Shreveport leads at 62, followed by Lafayette (76) and Baton Rouge (78). Note: a low housing index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below.
There's a pattern hiding in these numbers — and it matters: Shreveport rent up 3% over the past year. 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.
Bottom line: Shreveport leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
| Rank | City | Housing Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport | 62 | 85 | $1,170 | Details |
| 2 | Lafayette | 76 | 90 | $1,279 | Details |
| 3 | Baton Rouge | 78 | 91 | $1,312 | Details |
| 4 | New Orleans | 92 | 97 | $1,625 | Details |
177,959 residents · Louisiana
Shreveport earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 85 cost index sits 27 points below the national baseline, and the $48,465 — we had to double-check this one — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $134,461 — $332,909 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 62, while Healthcare trails at 87.
121,467 residents · Louisiana
Lafayette earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And generally speaking, the 90 cost index sits 22 points below the national baseline, and the $61,454 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $219,057 — $248,313 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 76, while Healthcare trails at 93.
219,573 residents · Louisiana
Baton Rouge earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And for many people, the 91 cost index sits 21 points below the national baseline, and the $49,944 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $224,899 — $242,471 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 78, while Healthcare trails at 94.
364,136 residents · Louisiana
Dive into New Orleans's numbers: cost index 97 (15 points below national average), rent $1,625/month, income $55,339, and a home price of $239,751. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 89, while Healthcare runs 100. With 364,136 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
Cities are ranked by their housing cost sub-index within Louisiana. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. 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.
Shreveport, LA has the lowest housing index at 62, compared to the national average of 100.
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.
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.