CostIndexUSA

Appleton, WI vs New Orleans, LA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWI
Appleton
92.4
overall index
$1,125/mo rent
LA
New Orleans
92.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent

Appleton and New Orleans have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+21.5%
Appleton
70.8
New Orleans
86
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Appleton
93.8
New Orleans
93.7
🚗 Transportation−3.7%
Appleton
104.4
New Orleans
100.5
🏥 Healthcare−3.7%
Appleton
94.4
New Orleans
90.9
⚡ Utilities−21.4%
Appleton
90.6
New Orleans
71.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Appleton to see what you'd need to earn in New Orleans to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
→
Equivalent salary in New Orleans, LA
$80,200
$200 more needed in New Orleans

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 92.4) = salary × 1.0022. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Appleton, WI

Median Home Price
$333,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,125
Housing Index
70.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
24.7×

New Orleans, LA

Median Home Price
$253,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
86
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.4×

New Orleans has 21.5% higher housing costs compared to Appleton.

Income & Job Market

Appleton, WI

Median Household Income
$84,000
Per Capita Income
$47,900
Unemployment Rate
1.8%
Population
77,315
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareFinanceRetailEducation

New Orleans, LA

Median Household Income
$61,000
Per Capita Income
$34,800
Unemployment Rate
5%
Population
383,997
Top Industries
TourismEnergyHealthcareShippingEntertainment

Affordability at a Glance

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

Appleton, WI
6.2×income-to-rent ratio

84% of income left after rent (median)

New Orleans, LA
3.2×income-to-rent ratio

69% of income left after rent (median)

Appleton vs other cities

Appleton, WI
vs
Green Bay, WI
Index: 92.4Index: 93.1
Appleton, WI
vs
La Crosse, WI
Index: 92.4Index: 91.8
Appleton, WI
vs
Madison, WI
Index: 92.4Index: 97.3
Appleton, WI
vs
Lake Charles, LA
Index: 92.4Index: 85.9
Appleton, WI
vs
Scranton, PA
Index: 92.4Index: 93.6

New Orleans vs other cities

New Orleans, LA
vs
Baton Rouge, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 90.8
New Orleans, LA
vs
Lafayette, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 87.2
New Orleans, LA
vs
Lake Charles, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 85.9
New Orleans, LA
vs
Bakersfield, CA
Index: 92.6Index: 100.9
New Orleans, LA
vs
Arlington, TX
Index: 92.6Index: 103.1

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.