CostIndexUSA

Baton Rouge, LA vs Erie, PA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostLA
Baton Rouge
90.8
overall index
$1,350/mo rent
PA
Erie
91
overall index
$1,075/mo rent

Baton Rouge and Erie have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing23.5%
Baton Rouge
74.2
Erie
56.8
🛒 Groceries+7.5%
Baton Rouge
93.7
Erie
100.7
🚗 Transportation+2.1%
Baton Rouge
100.5
Erie
102.6
🏥 Healthcare+2.1%
Baton Rouge
90.9
Erie
92.8
Utilities+50.0%
Baton Rouge
71.2
Erie
106.8

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Erie, PA
$80,200
$200 more needed in Erie

Formula: salary × (91 ÷ 90.8) = salary × 1.0022. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Baton Rouge, LA

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

Erie, PA

Median Home Price
$209,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,075
Housing Index
56.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.2×

Baton Rouge has 23.5% lower housing costs compared to Erie.

Income & Job Market

Baton Rouge, LA

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

Erie, PA

Median Household Income
$60,700
Per Capita Income
$34,600
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
94,831
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareEducationTechnologyRetail

Affordability at a Glance

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

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

75% of income left after rent (median)

Erie, PA
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

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.