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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Louisiana

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Louisiana from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 10 metro areas.

88.2
Statewide RPP
#47
of 51 states by cost
63.1
Rents RPP
10
Metro areas

The verdict

Louisiana costs less than 92% of U.S. states — a statewide index of 88.2, 11.8% below the national average.

88.2
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#47
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 8%
nationally, among all states
63.1
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $113,370 when earned in Louisiana.

Reading the Louisiana Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Louisiana's statewide Regional Price Parity at 88.2 for the 2024 data year, 11.8% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's categories sit near average, while rents offer the biggest relief at 63.1. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Louisiana captures 10 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA leads on cost at 92.7, while Monroe, LA sits at the opposite end at 83.6 — a gap of 9.1 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 93.7, for services 71.5, and for rents 63.1 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Louisiana's statewide index has eased by 3.3 points, narrowing the premium versus lower-cost states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $113,370 of national buying power when earned inside Louisiana, and a household relocating here would need roughly $88,207 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

88.2
Overall
93.7
Goods
71.5
Services
63.1
Rents

Louisiana vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

88 Top 92% higher than 8% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). This entry sits in this band. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Above this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in Louisiana → Cheapest in Louisiana →

Metro areas in Louisiana, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington 92.7 93.7 71.7 85.4
2 New Orleans-Metairie 92.6 93.7 71.2 86.0
3 Baton Rouge 90.8 93.7 71.2 74.2
4 Lafayette 87.2 93.7 71.2 58.8
5 Lake Charles 85.9 93.7 71.7 51.8
6 Alexandria 85.7 93.7 71.1 53.7
7 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux 85.1 93.7 71.3 51.3
8 Shreveport-Bossier City 84.8 93.7 72.6 52.3
9 Hammond 84.5 93.7 71.0 48.2
10 Monroe 83.6 93.7 72.2 42.8

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 91.5
2009 90.2
2010 92.2
2011 92.7
2012 92.9
2013 92.9
2014 93.4
2015 92.8
2016 93.6
2017 92.4
2018 90.8
2019 91.2
2020 91.1
2021 91.4
2022 90.5
2023 88.7
2024 88.2

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Louisiana? ▼
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 88.2, meaning it is 11.8% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 93.7, services at 71.5, and rents at 63.1.
What salary in Louisiana equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $88,207 in Louisiana. Conversely, $100K earned in Louisiana has the purchasing power of $113,370 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Louisiana? ▼
Rents in Louisiana are indexed at 63.1, which is 36.9% below the national average. The state is relatively affordable for renters.
Which is the most expensive metro in Louisiana? ▼
The most expensive metro area in Louisiana is Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA with an RPP of 92.7. The most affordable is Monroe, LA at 83.6. There are 10 metro areas in Louisiana with BEA price data.
Is Louisiana getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Louisiana's overall cost index changed by -3.3 points (from 91.5 to 88.2). The cost of living has been declining.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.