CostIndexUSA

Baton Rouge, LA vs Saginaw, MI Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostLA
Baton Rouge
90.8
overall index
$1,350/mo rent
MI
Saginaw
90.9
overall index
$1,000/mo rent

Baton Rouge and Saginaw have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing−14.3%
Baton Rouge
74.2
Saginaw
63.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Baton Rouge
93.7
Saginaw
93.7
🚗 Transportation+4.0%
Baton Rouge
100.5
Saginaw
104.5
🏥 Healthcare+4.1%
Baton Rouge
90.9
Saginaw
94.6
⚡ Utilities+34.6%
Baton Rouge
71.2
Saginaw
95.8

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in Saginaw, MI
$80,100
$100 more needed in Saginaw

Formula: salary × (90.9 ÷ 90.8) = salary × 1.0011. 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×

Saginaw, MI

Median Home Price
$160,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,000
Housing Index
63.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.3×

Baton Rouge has 14.3% lower housing costs compared to Saginaw.

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

Saginaw, MI

Median Household Income
$59,300
Per Capita Income
$33,800
Unemployment Rate
6.2%
Population
44,909
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingGovernmentRetailEducation

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)

Saginaw, MI
4.9×income-to-rent ratio

80% of income left after rent (median)

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

Saginaw vs other cities

Saginaw, MI
vs
Ann Arbor, MI
Index: 90.9Index: 100.9
Saginaw, MI
vs
Detroit, MI
Index: 90.9Index: 100.3
Saginaw, MI
vs
Flint, MI
Index: 90.9Index: 93
Saginaw, MI
vs
Burlington, VT
Index: 90.9Index: 100.9
Saginaw, MI
vs
York, PA
Index: 90.9Index: 96

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.