CostIndexUSA

Abilene, TX vs Baton Rouge, LA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTX
Abilene
90.4
overall index
$1,775/mo rent
LA
Baton Rouge
90.8
overall index
$1,350/mo rent

Abilene and Baton Rouge have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing≈ Equal
Abilene
73.8
Baton Rouge
74.2
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Abilene
93.8
Baton Rouge
93.7
🚗 Transportation−0.6%
Abilene
101.1
Baton Rouge
100.5
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Abilene
91.4
Baton Rouge
90.9
⚡ Utilities−12.3%
Abilene
81.2
Baton Rouge
71.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Abilene to see what you'd need to earn in Baton Rouge to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
→
Equivalent salary in Baton Rouge, LA
$80,400
$400 more needed in Baton Rouge

Formula: salary × (90.8 ÷ 90.4) = salary × 1.0044. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Abilene, TX

Median Home Price
$200,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,775
Housing Index
73.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
9.4×

Baton Rouge, LA

Median Home Price
$240,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,350
Housing Index
74.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Income & Job Market

Abilene, TX

Median Household Income
$61,300
Per Capita Income
$34,900
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Population
124,451
Top Industries
HealthcareMilitaryEducationRetailManufacturing

Baton Rouge, LA

Median Household Income
$64,600
Per Capita Income
$36,800
Unemployment Rate
4.6%
Population
227,470
Top Industries
EnergyHealthcareGovernmentEducationManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Abilene, TX
2.9×income-to-rent ratio

65% of income left after rent (median)

Baton Rouge, LA
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Abilene vs other cities

Abilene, TX
vs
Amarillo, TX
Index: 90.4Index: 91.8
Abilene, TX
vs
Arlington, TX
Index: 90.4Index: 103.1
Abilene, TX
vs
Austin, TX
Index: 90.4Index: 98.1
Abilene, TX
vs
Ann Arbor, MI
Index: 90.4Index: 100.9
Abilene, TX
vs
Topeka, KS
Index: 90.4Index: 88.8

Baton Rouge vs other cities

Baton Rouge, LA
vs
Lafayette, LA
Index: 90.8Index: 87.2
Baton Rouge, LA
vs
Lake Charles, LA
Index: 90.8Index: 85.9
Baton Rouge, LA
vs
Monroe, LA
Index: 90.8Index: 83.6
Baton Rouge, LA
vs
Richmond, VA
Index: 90.8Index: 97.9
Baton Rouge, LA
vs
Santa Clarita, CA
Index: 90.8Index: 113.6

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.