Moving to Louisiana: Louisiana is a melting pot of American, Spanish, French, African, and Native American influences, with vibrant towns, Creole and Cajun food, and excellent Southern hospitality, as well as the home of the wildly famous Mardi Gras. The state of Louisiana, home to world-famous cities such as New Orleans and Baton Rouge, offers a low cost of living and an incredibly diverse community, as well as seven cities ranked among the best places to live in America.
Are you searching for a place to call home in Louisiana? If that’s the case, you’ll want to check out this handy guide to anything you need to know about moving to the state.
Moving to Louisiana?
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Are you considering relocating to the Mardi Gras State? If that’s the case, there are a few facts to remember before visiting the country’s 31st largest state by area (51,840 square miles) and 25th largest by population (4.65 million).
Overall, renting a home in Louisiana is less expensive than buying one. The median mortgage payment is $1,234, while the median rent is $825 a month. That’s a monthly difference of nearly $409 or a yearly difference of $4,908!
Median Rental Cost: $828 (2BR) and $682 (1BR)
Median home value: $166,565
Income Tax: 2%, 4%, and 6%
Sales Tax: 4.45%
Propery Tax: 0.52%
Louisiana has a cost of living index of 86.9%, according to BestPlaces’ Cost of Living in Louisiana. The national average is 100, so this index is lower.
We can compare the average monthly costs in three Louisiana cities using EPI’s Family Budget Calculator. For these examples, we’ll use a family of four (2 adults + 2 children).
New Orleans/Metairie Metro Area
Transportation = $1,101
Healthcare = $1,093
Other necessities = $727
Taxes = $787
Housing = $996
Food = $806
Childcare = $840
Grand total = $6,351 per month or $76,213 per year
Shreveport/Bossier City Metro Area
Transportation = $1,168
Healthcare = $1,150
Other necessities = $618
Taxes = $690
Housing = $820
Food = $711
Childcare = $752
Grand total = $5,909 per month or $70,914 per year
Baton Rouge Metro Area
Healthcare = $1,207
Other necessities = $672
Taxes = $777
Housing = $906
Food = $760
Childcare = $805
Transportation = $1,180
Grand total = $6,307 per month or $75,680 per year
Louisiana is currently ranked #49 in the United States by US News & World Report’s Economy Rankings. The market climate (#48), jobs (#48), and development (#49) are the three subcategories that make up this score. It has a GDP of about $236 billion and average earnings of $25,885. If you are looking for a job in Louisiana, JobsSearches.Org is a good resource.
Top Industries
Automotive
Entertainment
Seafood
Minerals & Ores
Energy
Advanced Manufacturing
Biosciences
Aerospace
Agribusiness
Healthcare
Top 10 Employers
CenturyLink
Walmart
Ochsner Health System
Odyssea Marine
Amedisys
Entergy
Future Pipe Industries Inc.
Turner Industries
LHC Group
Louisiana State University
It’s important to start ahead of time and prepare accordingly if you want to keep the tension and drama to a minimum. For a quick, bump-free moving to Louisiana, use this handy guide.