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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 $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Louisiana using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Shreveport com…
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. 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.
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 68) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 94) 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.
Here's the honest assessment: Shreveport is the data-driven pick, but #2 through #5 are close enough that personal factors — commute, climate, schools, family proximity — should weigh in. The city profiles below include profession-specific salary lookups and 12-month trend lines. Use them to pressure-test the ranking against your real life.
#1 Ranked: Shreveport — cost index 68, rent $1,170/mo, income $48,465
0 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K
0 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
177,959 residents · Louisiana
Why Shreveport ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 68 on the cost index, residents save roughly 43% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,170/month while the median household pulls in $48,465/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 68, though Healthcare (94) lags behind. Home prices average $134,461 — $332,909 below the national median.
121,467 residents · Louisiana
The #2 spot goes to Lafayette, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,279/month — saving renters $7,392 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 75, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 95. A 25% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
219,573 residents · Louisiana
Why Baton Rouge ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. At 77 on the cost index, residents save roughly 34% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,312/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — while the median household pulls in $49,944/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 77, though Healthcare (95) lags behind. Home prices average $224,899 — $242,471 below the national median.
364,136 residents · Louisiana
Why New Orleans ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. At 95 on the cost index, residents save roughly 16% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,625/month while the median household pulls in $55,339/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 95, though Healthcare (99) lags behind. Home prices average $239,751 — $227,619 below the national median (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
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 | 47% | 68 | Details |
| 2 | Lafayette | $1,279 | 51% | 75 | Details |
| 3 | Baton Rouge | $1,312 | 52% | 77 | Details |
| 4 | New Orleans | $1,625 | 65% | 95 | Details |
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Shreveport | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $23,062 |
2Lafayette | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $23,062 |
3Baton Rouge | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $23,062 |
4New Orleans | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $23,062 |
Shreveport ranks #1 in Louisiana for this analysis with a cost index of 68 and median income of $48,465.
Yes. On a $30K salary in Shreveport, rent would consume about 47% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
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 $30K in Shreveport is approximately $23,062/year ($1,922/month). After median rent of $1,170/month, you'd have roughly $9,022/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.