CostIndexUSA

Lexington, KY vs New Orleans, LA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostKY
Lexington
92.9
overall index
$1,500/mo rent
LA
New Orleans
92.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent

Lexington and New Orleans have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+11.5%
Lexington
77.1
New Orleans
86
🛒 Groceries−2.6%
Lexington
96.2
New Orleans
93.7
🚗 Transportation−1.2%
Lexington
101.7
New Orleans
100.5
🏥 Healthcare−1.2%
Lexington
92
New Orleans
90.9
⚡ Utilities−4.6%
Lexington
74.6
New Orleans
71.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in New Orleans, LA
$79,700
$300 less needed in New Orleans

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 92.9) = salary × 0.9968. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Lexington, KY

Median Home Price
$313,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,500
Housing Index
77.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.4×

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 11.5% higher housing costs compared to Lexington.

Income & Job Market

Lexington, KY

Median Household Income
$70,000
Per Capita Income
$39,900
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
322,570
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingAgricultureGovernment

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).

Lexington, KY
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

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

69% of income left after rent (median)

Lexington vs other cities

Lexington, KY
vs
Bowling Green, KY
Index: 92.9Index: 90.2
Lexington, KY
vs
Louisville, KY
Index: 92.9Index: 93.1
Lexington, KY
vs
Stockton, CA
Index: 92.9Index: 105.1
Lexington, KY
vs
Henderson, NV
Index: 92.9Index: 100.2
Lexington, KY
vs
St. Louis, MO
Index: 92.9Index: 95.1

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.