State relocation profile · Federal data
Louisiana
Louisiana sits in the cheaper third of BEA RPP states, rent, wages, safety, schools and childcare below.
- 88.2
- Cost index (US=100)
- $1,007
- 2BR rent / mo
- $62,928
- Median salary
- 61.5
- Life Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, Louisiana ranks #3 of 51 scored US states on the composite Life Score (61.5/100, C), with its strongest marks in environment and cost of living.
- #3 of 51
- Life Score among scored states
- 61.5
- Life Score · C
- 88.2
- Cost of living (US=100)
- $62,928
- Median annual salary (BLS)
Weakest dimension: wages (4/100). State-level figures are a benchmark, individual metros can diverge sharply, so weigh each dimension against your own priorities.
According to PlainRelocate's state Life Score composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, and EPA inputs), Louisiana ranks #3 of 51 scored US states by Life Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 88.2 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,007/mo, median salary $62,928; Life Score 61.5/100 (C), strongest in environment and cost of living.
Signature: Life Score 61.5/100 places Louisiana #3 of 51 (top third of scored states).
Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 88.2 lands in the cheaper third of US states (cuts at 93.3 / 100.7). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent averages $1,007/mo statewide, against a BLS median salary of $62,928.
Composite Life Score 61.5/100 (C) puts Louisiana in the top third (#3 of 51).
Metro book is dense (10 MSAs); drill a named metro before treating the state average as a destination.
Life Score plate
Sheet LA · Louisiana 61.5/100 · C · #3 of 51
LIFE-C · RANK-TOP · PHOTO-FINISH · RPP-CHEAP · LEAD-ENVIRO · BOOK-FULL
- LIFE-C Life Score C
- RANK-TOP #3/51
- PHOTO-FINISH ±0.0 pts
- RPP-CHEAP RPP 88.2
- LEAD-ENVIRO Lead · environment
- BOOK-FULL 7/7 dims
Nearest Life Score peer: Nebraska (+ 0.0 pts)
Instrument codes from this state’s Life Score grade, corpus rank, peer gap, BEA RPP posture, lead dimension, and dimension book, not a moving recommendation.
Life Score neighbourhood around Louisiana
Lowest/highest poles plus states nearest Louisiana on composite Life Score. Full ladder: /rankings/.
Louisiana childcare costs
DOL state-average center rates for Louisiana (infant $7,396/yr leads the book).
Louisiana Life Score breakdown
Louisiana composites to 61.5/100 (C) across 7 of 7 dimensions; corpus place #3 of 51.
Louisiana - Life Score dimensions
Percentile vs all US states (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Environment
Environment
94 /100
- Cost of living
Cost of living
92 /100
- Schools
Schools
92 /100
- Childcare
Childcare
84 /100
- Rent
Rent
76 /100
- Safety 26
Safety
26 /100
- Wages 4
Wages
4 /100
What this shows Louisiana's strongest dimensions are environment and cost of living; its weakest among scored dims is wages at 4/100. Each dimension is a federal-data percentile; the composite folds 7 of 7 into one comparable figure.
States near Louisiana on cost or Life Score
Nearest neighbors to Louisiana on BEA RPP or composite Life Score, a different lens than the in-state metro list below.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Metros in Louisiana
Explore detailed relocation data for 10 metropolitan areas in Louisiana. Louisiana contains 10 metropolitan statistical areas in our dataset - Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Hammond and more - each with its own rent, wage and crime profile that can diverge sharply from the statewide average.
Alexandria metro · Compare metros · Cost vs quality · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
Louisiana cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Louisiana wages and safety follow BLS OEWS and FBI UCR. Research use only, verify at the agency source before you move.