Cost of Living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Baton Rouge, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 222,795
- Median household income
- $50,332
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 90.8
- Unemployment rate
- 7.3%
Is Baton Rouge a good place to live?
Baton Rouge is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 153 of the 178 other large US cities we track.
A typical worker in Baton Rouge keeps $11,703 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living9% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,028 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$1,075 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Baton Rouge
Prices in the Baton Rouge, LA area run 9% below the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 29% below the US average.
- Housing26% 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 items9% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,028 | $12,336 |
| Food | $462 | $5,544 |
| Transportation | $366 | $4,392 |
| Healthcare | $337 | $4,044 |
| Utilities | $185 | $2,220 |
| Total before taxes | $2,378 | $28,536 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Baton Rouge | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,001 | $992 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,028 | $1,014 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,165 | $1,149 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,467 | $1,456 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,868 | $1,842 |
Living in Baton Rouge
How Baton Rouge compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Baton Rouge | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,332 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $251,100 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,081 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 46.6% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 27.5% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 37.5% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 31.6 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 21.7 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 7.7% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 1.1% | 3.7% |
Home internet
4 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Baton Rouge, led by Cox Communications, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile. Fiber reaches 59.1% of homes and 70.8% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Baton Rouge
Pros
- Paychecks go further. A typical worker keeps $11,703 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs, more than in 153 of 178 large cities.
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 21.7 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,081 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Lower cost of living. Prices are 9% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
Cons
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 7.3%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
- Higher poverty rate. 27.5% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
- Lower incomes. Median household income is $50,332, against $81,604 nationally.
What your job keeps in Baton Rouge
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $48,710
- Federal income tax
- −$3,665
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,726
- State income tax
- −$1,075
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$12,336
- Everyday costs
- −$16,205
a year, or $975 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Baton Rouge, LA. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Baton Rouge, LA area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse | $81,130 | $35,316 |
| Welder | $78,170 | $33,323 |
| Plumber | $74,240 | $30,676 |
| Accountant | $73,070 | $29,888 |
| Electrician | $65,330 | $24,557 |
| Teacher | $59,881 | $20,343 |
| Licensed practical nurse | $59,700 | $20,203 |
| Carpenter | $55,630 | $17,054 |
| Truck driver | $54,840 | $16,444 |
| Nursing assistant | $31,220 | −$1,825 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Baton Rouge on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $11,524
- Civil engineer $56,396
- Data scientist $33,720
- Dental assistant $8,678
- Dental hygienist $43,108
- Dentist $104,347
- Diesel mechanic $20,667
- Financial analyst $33,829
- Firefighter −$248
- HVAC technician $22,709
- Lawyer $49,420
- Lineman $32,542
- Mechanical engineer $71,680
- Medical assistant $2,567
- Nurse practitioner $67,458
- Occupational therapist $46,698
- Paralegal $19,684
- Paramedic $15,656
- Pharmacist $71,125
- Pharmacy technician $9,258
- Physical therapist $47,299
- Physician assistant $68,504
- Police officer $11,703
- Project manager $39,034
- Radiologic technologist $23,104
- Respiratory therapist $30,663
- Social worker $22,118
- Software engineer $49,305
- Speech-language pathologist $24,319
- Veterinarian $66,034
Compare Baton Rouge with other cities
Compare Baton Rouge with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Baton Rouge
7 licensed interstate movers are based in Baton Rouge, and 4 more elsewhere in the Baton Rouge, LA area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Baton Rouge, LA a good place to live?
Baton Rouge is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 153 of the 178 other large US cities we track. The typical worker here earns $48,710 and keeps $11,703 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Baton Rouge?
Prices in the Baton Rouge, LA area are 9% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,028 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,350 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Baton Rouge?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $33,600 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Baton Rouge, LA area earns $48,710.
What is the average rent in Baton Rouge?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,001 for a studio, $1,028 for a 1-bedroom and $1,165 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Baton Rouge at $1,081 a month (2024).
Does Baton Rouge have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $48,710, Louisiana state income tax comes to about $1,075 a year. Baton Rouge has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Baton Rouge?
4 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Baton Rouge, led by Cox Communications, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile. 59.1% of homes can get fiber and 70.8% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
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, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area 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 MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate