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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
If you've ever wondered why some 'cheap' cities don't feel cheap, this explains it: 3 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K. And depending on your situation, the 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary…
If you've ever wondered why some 'cheap' cities don't feel cheap, this explains it: 3 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K. And depending on your situation, the 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 3 cities (75%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. Run the numbers annually, and it's like getting a bonus you didn't negotiate.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 3 cities (75%) 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.
The numbers for Shreveport are straightforward: 68 on the cost index, $1,170/month rent, $48,465 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is.
Rankings quantify the landscape. And depending on your situation, but the decision to move is personal. Use the spotlights above to zero in on 2-3 finalists, then run your actual salary through the calculator. The question isn't just "where is it cheapest?" — it's "where does my specific income buy the life I want?" Start here. Dig deeper on the linked city pages.
#1 Ranked: Shreveport — cost index 68, rent $1,170/mo, income $48,465
3 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K
3 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
177,959 residents · Louisiana
Dive into Shreveport's numbers: cost index 68 — we had to double-check this one — (43 points below national average), rent $1,170/month, income $48,465, and a home price of $134,461. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 68, while Healthcare runs 94. With 177,959 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
121,467 residents · Louisiana
Here's Lafayette by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 75. Rent: $1,279/month. Income: $61,454/year. Home price: $219,057. Population: 121,467. The strongest category is Housing at 75; the most expensive is Healthcare at 95. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $7,392 per year vs. the national median. For anyone relocating from a high-cost market, this will feel like a raise.
219,573 residents · Louisiana
Look, Dive into Baton Rouge's numbers: cost index 77 (34 points below national average), rent $1,312/month, income $49,944, and a home price of $224,899. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 77, while Healthcare runs 95. With 219,573 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs (that's pre-tax, of course).
364,136 residents · Louisiana
New Orleans earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And with some exceptions, the 95 cost index sits 16 points below the national baseline, and the $55,339 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $239,751 — $227,619 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 95, while Healthcare trails at 99.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport | $1,170 | 23% | 68 | Details |
| 2 | Lafayette | $1,279 | 26% | 75 | Details |
| 3 | Baton Rouge | $1,312 | 26% | 77 | Details |
| 4 | New Orleans | $1,625 | 33% | 95 | Details |
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Shreveport | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $44,607 |
2Lafayette | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $44,607 |
3Baton Rouge | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $44,607 |
4New Orleans | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $44,607 |
We model what a $60K 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 $60K salary in Shreveport, rent would consume about 23% 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 $60K in Shreveport is approximately $44,607/year ($3,717/month). After median rent of $1,170/month, you'd have roughly $30,567/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.