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Relocation profile · Federal data

Monroe, LA

BEA RPP 83.6 ranks #1 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).

83.6
Cost index (US=100)
$834
2BR rent / mo
$54,218
Median salary
55.7
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Monroe ranks #119 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (55.7/100), with its strongest marks in cost of living and housing.

#119
of 387 US metros · Above median
4,597,740
metro-area population
410
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
1,330
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: job market (5/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Monroe ranks #119 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 83.6 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $834/mo, median salary $54,218; LiveAbility Score 55.7/100, strongest in cost of living and housing.

Signature: BEA RPP 83.6 ranks #1 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).

Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 83.6 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $834/mo.

LiveAbility 55.7/100 puts Monroe in the top third (#119 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Monroe area is 79,300.

Monroe vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

56 Top 31% higher than 69% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Monroe housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Monroe MSA; housing RPP 42.8 (100 = national average); 2BR $834/mo.

Studio
$631
/month
1 Bedroom
$636
/month
2 Bedroom
$834
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,143
/month
4 Bedroom
$1,172
/month

Monroe wages and employment

Monroe posts 79,300 total employment with median salary $54,218 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.

Median Salary
$54,218
Mean Salary
$57,054
Total Employment
79,300

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $21,720
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $35,260
Retail Salespersons $27,710
Registered Nurses $78,270
Cashiers $24,490

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Monroe area from NCES.

Schools
1,330
Enrollment
674,456
Student:Teacher
16.8:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Monroe area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$7,396
per year
Toddler (Center)
$7,237
per year
Preschool (Center)
$7,111
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Monroe's composite Life Score is 67.1/100 (C+), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
100/100
Elite
Wages
5/100
Bottom decile
Rent
100/100
Elite
Crime
27/100
Weak
Schools
90/100
Elite
Childcare
84/100
Elite
Environment
97/100
Elite

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Monroe ranks #119 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 55.7/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Cost of living (100/100)

Monroe - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Monroe's strongest dimensions are cost of living and housing; its weakest among scored dims is job market at 5/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Compare Monroe to

Pueblo Punta Gorda Racine-Mount Pleasant Raleigh-Cary Rapid City Reading

Metros near Monroe on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Monroe on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)

Similar LiveAbility score

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Monroe cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Monroe wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Monroe?

Monroe runs a $54,218 median salary at a 83.6 cost index, ranking #119 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Monroe's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Monroe head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Monroe
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.