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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 111. Leading the pack: Lafayette at index 75, where median rent of $1,279/month saves renters $7,392/year versus the national median.
#1 Ranked: Lafayette — cost index 75, rent $1,279/mo, income $61,454
4 of 4 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
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 111. Leading the pack: Lafayette at index 75, where median rent of $1,279/month saves renters $7,392/year versus the national median.
Why Lafayette ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 75 on the cost index, residents save roughly 36% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,279/month while the median household pulls in $61,454/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 75, though Healthcare (95) lags behind. Home prices average $219,057 — $248,313 below the national median.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lafayette | 75 | $1,279 | Details |
| 2 | New Orleans | 95 | $1,625 | Details |
| 3 | Baton Rouge | 77 | $1,312 | Details |
| 4 | Shreveport | 68 | $1,170 | Details |
121,467 residents · Louisiana
Look, Dive into Lafayette's numbers: cost index 75 (36 points below national average), rent $1,279/month, income $61,454, and a home price of $219,057. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 75, while Healthcare runs 95. With 121,467 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
364,136 residents · Louisiana
The #2 spot goes to New Orleans, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,625/month — saving renters $3,240 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 95, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 99. The 35% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
219,573 residents · Louisiana
Here's Baton Rouge by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And from what we can tell, cost index: 77. Rent: $1,312/month. Income: $49,944/year. Home price: $224,899. Population: 219,573. The strongest category is Housing at 77; the most expensive is Healthcare at 95. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $6,996 per year vs. the national median. Even in a down market, this kind of cost structure protects household budgets.
177,959 residents · Louisiana
Look, Shreveport earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 68 cost index sits 43 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 68, while Healthcare trails at 94. No gimmicks — just good numbers.
Cities are ranked by median household income using Census ACS data. Income alone doesn't tell the full story — we also show cost of living index so you can gauge real purchasing power in each city across Louisiana. 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.
Lafayette ranks #1 in Louisiana for this analysis with a cost index of 75 and median income of $61,454.
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.
Lafayette (ranked #1) has a cost index of 75 and rent of $1,279/mo, while Shreveport (ranked #4) has a cost index of 68 and rent of $1,170/mo — a 7-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 Lafayette is $1,279/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $616 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Lafayette is $219,057, which is 3.6× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. 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.