Cost of Living in Louisiana
What it costs to live in Louisiana, how much tax you'll pay, and what common jobs keep after rent and everyday costs.
- Population
- 4,597,740
- Median household income
- $60,986
- State income tax
- Flat 3%
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 88.2
What a typical paycheck keeps in Louisiana
The typical Louisiana worker earns $45,520 (BLS). After taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, $9,887 is left. Pick a city for local rents and pay.
- Typical salary
- $45,520
- Federal income tax
- −$3,282
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,482
- State income tax
- −$979
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$11,676
- Everyday costs
- −$16,214
a year, or $824 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS statewide median. Rent: HUD FY2027, population-weighted across Louisiana.
Cost of living in Louisiana
Prices across Louisiana run 12% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Housing37% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)6% below the US average
- Utilities29% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)4% below the US average
- All items12% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $973 | $11,676 |
| Food | $463 | $5,556 |
| Transportation | $366 | $4,392 |
| Healthcare | $337 | $4,044 |
| Utilities | $186 | $2,232 |
| Total before taxes | $2,325 | $27,900 |
Rent is the statewide average of county fair market rents, weighted by population. City rents differ.
Louisiana taxes
State income tax, single filer (2026)
| Taxable income over | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 | 3% |
Taxes on the median household income
$60,986 of wages, one single filer (Census 2024 median).
| Federal income tax | −$5,138 |
| Payroll taxes | −$4,665 |
| State income tax | −$1,443 |
| Effective tax rate | 18.4% |
Cities in Louisiana
What a typical worker keeps after taxes, rent and everyday costs in each Louisiana city we cover.
What common jobs keep in Louisiana
The 15 jobs that keep the most: statewide median pay, and what's left after taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | $170,750 | $95,348 |
| Pharmacist | $132,410 | $70,293 |
| Physician assistant | $128,870 | $67,978 |
| Nurse practitioner | $125,600 | $65,842 |
| Veterinarian | $124,370 | $65,038 |
| Mechanical engineer | $119,540 | $61,836 |
| Civil engineer | $105,380 | $52,299 |
| Lawyer | $104,100 | $51,437 |
| Software engineer | $102,800 | $50,562 |
| Physical therapist | $98,530 | $47,685 |
| Occupational therapist | $98,490 | $47,660 |
| Dental hygienist | $85,240 | $38,735 |
| Project manager | $84,850 | $38,473 |
| Registered nurse | $80,230 | $35,360 |
| Data scientist | $78,760 | $34,371 |
Salary pages in Louisiana, A–Z
Pay range, what’s kept and the best cities for each job.
- Accountant
- Auto mechanic
- Carpenter
- Civil engineer
- Data scientist
- Dental assistant
- Dental hygienist
- Dentist
- Diesel mechanic
- Electrician
- Financial analyst
- Firefighter
- HVAC technician
- Lawyer
- Licensed practical nurse
- Lineman
- Mechanical engineer
- Medical assistant
- Nurse practitioner
- Nursing assistant
- Occupational therapist
- Paralegal
- Paramedic
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy technician
- Physical therapist
- Physician assistant
- Plumber
- Police officer
- Project manager
- Radiologic technologist
- Registered nurse
- Respiratory therapist
- Social worker
- Software engineer
- Speech-language pathologist
- Teacher
- Truck driver
- Veterinarian
- Welder
Top-paying jobs in Louisiana
Median pay, jobs with at least 1,000 workers (BLS OEWS). Linked jobs have a salary page.
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $350,920 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $255,330 |
| Dentists, General | $170,750 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $162,850 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $133,210 |
| Pharmacists | $132,410 |
| Physician Assistants | $128,870 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $127,500 |
| Financial Managers | $126,800 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $125,600 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $125,130 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $124,200 |
| Industrial Engineers | $122,920 |
| Mechanical Engineers | $119,540 |
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | $117,160 |
Living in Louisiana
Louisiana against the US (Census Bureau, ACS 2024).
| Measure | Louisiana | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $223,200 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,064 | $1,487 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 18.7% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 36.9% |
| Average commute, one way | 26.2 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 8% | 13.3% |
Nearby states
Compare Louisiana with another state or city: what a job keeps in each, side by side.
Questions people ask
What is the cost of living in Louisiana?
Prices in Louisiana are 12% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The statewide fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $973 a month (HUD, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person come to about $1,351 a month.
Does Louisiana have a state income tax?
Yes. Louisiana's income tax rate is flat 3%. On a typical wage of $45,520, a single filer pays about $979 a year in state income tax.
How much do you need to earn to live in Louisiana?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom at the statewide fair market rent needs about $32,800 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs. The typical worker in Louisiana earns $45,520 and keeps $9,887 after those costs.
Where in Louisiana does a paycheck go furthest?
Of the Louisiana cities we cover, a typical worker keeps the most in Baton Rouge ($11,703 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs) and the least in New Orleans ($6,811).
What jobs pay the most in Louisiana?
Among jobs with at least 1,000 workers, the highest median pay in Louisiana goes to Physicians, All Other ($350,920); Family Medicine Physicians ($255,330); Dentists, General ($170,750) (BLS OEWS).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
- HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate