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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
#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
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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
Dollar for dollar, few states match Louisiana's value. And roughly speaking, 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.
Shreveport earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And generally speaking, the 85 cost index sits 27 points below the national baseline, and the $48,465 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.
Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. The 4 cities we track in Louisiana paint a clearly affordable picture. Average cost index: 91. That alone makes it worth considering. Median rent: $1,347/month. Household income: $53,801. Louisiana is known for Cajun culture and below-average costs — and the data backs that reputation convincingly. Not even close to the national average.
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 | Median Rent | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport | $1,170 | 85 | Details |
| 2 | Lafayette | $1,279 | 90 | Details |
| 3 | Baton Rouge | $1,312 | 91 | Details |
| 4 | New Orleans | $1,625 | 97 | 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 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
Why Lafayette ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. Nothing too surprising there. At 90 on the cost index, residents save roughly 22% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,279/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — while the median household pulls in $61,454/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 76, though Healthcare (93) lags behind. Home prices average $219,057 — $248,313 below the national median.
219,573 residents · Louisiana
A closer look at Baton Rouge: the cost index of 91 — for better or worse — breaks down to a Housing index of 78 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 94 (weakest). That alone makes it worth considering. Median rent is $1,312/month — 31% below the national median — while household income sits at $49,944, meaning locals spend about 32% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
364,136 residents · Louisiana
So, New Orleans. Cost index of 97 — we had to double-check this one — , rent at $1,625/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $55,339, which is below the national median. You get the picture.
Cities are ranked by median 1-bedroom rent from Zillow's Observed Rent Index (ZORI). ZORI reflects the median rent across all listed units, not just new leases, providing a more stable and representative figure. 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.
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.