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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
No second income to fall back on. Our model scored 4 cities in Louisiana on solo-living metrics. Shreveport leads at index 68 — a detail that tends to get overlooked — with rent of $1,170/mo.
No second income to fall back on. Our model scored 4 cities in Louisiana on solo-living metrics. Shreveport leads at index 68 — a detail that tends to get overlooked — with rent of $1,170/mo.
Here's the surprising part: 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. That could be a concern depending on your priorities.
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.
Single-income living means absorbing 100% of housing costs. Our model weights rent under $1,300 (20pts), cost of living (15pts), and city population (10pts) — because a social scene matters when you're on your own. Shreveport at $1,170/mo in a city of 177,959 hits the right balance. Lafayette offers a larger city as a runner-up.
The same data, viewed through a different lens: Here's the state-level backdrop: Louisiana averages a 79 cost index, $1,347/mo rent, and $53,801 income across 4 cities. That's $548 less than the national rent average. Cajun culture and below-average costs — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
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.
#1 Ranked: Shreveport — cost index 68, rent $1,170/mo, income $48,465
Shreveport rent up 3% over the past year
Singles scoring: rent $1,170/mo (solo housing), cost index 68, population 177,959 — livability on one income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport | 68 | $1,170 | Details |
| 2 | Lafayette | 75 | $1,279 | Details |
| 3 | New Orleans | 95 | $1,625 | Details |
| 4 | Baton Rouge | 77 | $1,312 | Details |
177,959 residents · Louisiana
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.
121,467 residents · Louisiana
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
New Orleans earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 95 cost index sits 16 points below the national baseline, and the $55,339 — for better or worse — 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.
219,573 residents · Louisiana
Baton Rouge comes in at #4. Rent is $1,312 a month. Household income is $49,944. The cost of living index is 77. That tracks.
Shreveport ranks #1 in Louisiana for this analysis with a cost index of 68 and median income of $48,465.
Shreveport scores highest for singles due to its below-average cost of living, median rent of $1,170/mo, and competitive 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 68 and rent of $1,170/mo, while Baton Rouge (ranked #4) has a cost index of 77 and rent of $1,312/mo — a 9-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.