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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
No sugarcoating: the 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K 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 …
No sugarcoating: the 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K 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. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is. Shreveport comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
The numbers for Shreveport are straightforward: 68 on the cost index, $1,170/month — we had to double-check this one — rent, $48,465 income. It lines up with what you'd expect. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. You get the picture (that's pre-tax, of course). No gimmicks — just good numbers.
Bottom line: Shreveport leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. About what you'd guess. 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.
#1 Ranked: Shreveport — cost index 68, rent $1,170/mo, income $48,465
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
177,959 residents · Louisiana
Look, So, Shreveport. And broadly, cost index of 68 — we had to double-check this one — , rent at $1,170/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $48,465, which is below the national median. That's more or less in line with the region.
121,467 residents · Louisiana
Real talk: So, Lafayette. And from what we can tell, cost index of 75, rent at $1,279/month. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $61,454, which is below the national median. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
219,573 residents · Louisiana
Look, So, Baton Rouge. That tracks. Cost index of 77, rent at $1,312/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $49,944, which is below the national median. Standard stuff, really. Surprising? Maybe. But the data's clear.
364,136 residents · Louisiana
At $1,625/month for rent and a cost index of 95, New Orleans is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. And as far as the data shows, income is $55,339. Fairly typical for a city this size. It lines up with what you'd expect (that's pre-tax, of course). Worth a deeper look.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K 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.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport | $1,170 | 14% | 68 | Details |
| 2 | Lafayette | $1,279 | 15% | 75 | Details |
| 3 | Baton Rouge | $1,312 | 16% | 77 | Details |
| 4 | New Orleans | $1,625 | 20% | 95 | Details |
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Shreveport | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $71,047 |
2Lafayette | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $71,047 |
3Baton Rouge | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $71,047 |
4New Orleans | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $71,047 |
We model what a $100K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. 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 68 and median income of $48,465.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Shreveport, rent would consume about 14% 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 68 and rent of $1,170/mo, while New Orleans (ranked #4) has a cost index of 95 and rent of $1,625/mo — a 27-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 $100K in Shreveport is approximately $71,047/year ($5,921/month). After median rent of $1,170/month, you'd have roughly $57,007/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.