← All States

Louisiana

R+20  ·  Moderate tax burden  ·  COL index 91

B+

3%

Income Tax

587

Violent Crime / 100K

73

Life Expectancy

$215K

Median Home

$830

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

38/100
255075100TAXES70SAFETY30HEALTH10SCHOOLS6AFFORDABLE84LONGEVITY25

Stay Current

Get notified when Louisiana tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Taxes

Income Tax

Top rate reduced to 3% in 2025

3% top

Property Tax

~$1,140/yr on median home

0.53% / yr

Sales Tax

9.56% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Partial

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

91

Median Home Price

$215,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,100/mo

Home Insurance

Well above national avg (~$1,900/yr)

$3,000/yr

Flood Insurance

$1,800/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

$75,000

Asset Protection

Weak

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Well above national avg

587 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

2,426 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

17.1 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

Bottom tier

#45 of 50

Life Expectancy

73 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Expanded

Uninsured Rate

8.5%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

Bottom 10 nationally

#47 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

Below national avg

$830/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

Below national avg

$100/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$430/mo

Road Quality Rank

Among the worst roads in the US

#46 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

80+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Top-25 US airport by passengers

Yes

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Mix of urban and rural

73% urban

Restaurant Density

560/100K

Religious Congregations

245/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

3 teams

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

6 venues

Craft Breweries

1.3/100K residents — Limited

60 breweries

Craft Distilleries

25 distilleries

Live Music

New Orleans jazz capital of the world; French Quarter, Frenchmen Street; Jazz Fest is a pilgrimage

World-class

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

Very expensive (national avg ~$1,600)

$2,950

Traffic Fatality Rate

17.1 / 100K

Broadband Access

Below national avg

74% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

Near-total ban; trigger law took effect after Dobbs

Banned

LGBTQ+ Protections

Hostile

Marijuana

Medical Only

Minimum Wage

$7.25/hr

Right to Work

Yes

Sports Betting

Legal

Casino Gambling

Commercial casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

New Orleans casino culture is iconic. Sports betting legal since 2021. One of the more gambling-friendly cultures in the South.

Yes

Age of Consent

17

Sex Education

Sex ed required by state

Abstinence-only

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

New Orleans Fat Monday Lundi Gras events — clothing optional sections · Bayou naturist groups

One club

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

36

Natural Disaster Risk

Very High

Primary Hazards

hurricanefloodtornado

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

R+20

Gun Laws

Gun ControlF
2A LibertyA+

Carry Permit

No permit required

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Legal

Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+0.8% job growth · 4% unemployment

Weak

Top Industries

Oil & GasTourismHealthcare

Tech Jobs

#44 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#35 of 50

Remote Work

13% of workers

Median Household Income

$57,852

Business Climate

Corporate Income Tax

5.5%

LLC Formation Fee

$100 one-time

LLC Annual Fee

$35/yr

Business Climate Rank

#33 of 50

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Well below avg (-0.38 vs national avg)

$2.92/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Consumer fireworks broadly legal

Legal

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 62°F

Very Mild

Summer Heat

Hot summers

92°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

64" / yr

Tornado Risk

High

Hurricane Risk

Very High

Wildfire Risk

Low

Flood Risk

Very High

Natural Hazards

71EXTREME danger
Hurricane EXTREMEArmadillo leprosy EXTREMECottonmouth moccasin density: absurdWest Nile virus endemicFlood risk: you are below sea level

Venomous Snakes

Extreme

Spider Hazard

Brown Recluse Zone

Scorpions

Low

Hurricane Risk

Extreme

Tornado Risk

High

Wildfire Risk

Low

Earthquake Risk

Low

Armadillo Leprosy Risk

Extreme

Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

6.5% of state population are veterans

77/100

Property Tax Exemption

Disabled vet homestead exemption

Partial

Military Retirement Pay

Tax Exempt

Active Duty Pay

Tax Exempt

VA Facilities Access

Good

Notable Benefits

Military retirement fully exempt

Explore Louisiana counties

Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county

Explore Counties

See your full cost of living in Louisiana

Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.

Calculate

Compare Similar States

LA vs GA

Louisiana vs Georgia

COL 91 vs 91 · 3% vs 5.49% income tax

Full comparison →

LA vs NE

Louisiana vs Nebraska

COL 91 vs 91 · 3% vs 3.99% income tax

Full comparison →

LA vs TN

Louisiana vs Tennessee

COL 91 vs 92 · 3% vs No income tax

Full comparison →

LA vs SC

Louisiana vs South Carolina

COL 91 vs 93 · 3% vs 6.2% income tax

Full comparison →

Trending in Louisiana

After governor signs judge reduction bill, one New Orleans judge announces run for new section - WDSU

WDSU · Jun 10

Louisiana lawmakers now have deadline to choose between teacher pay cut or school funding reduction - Louisiana Illuminator

Louisiana Illuminator · Jun 9

Louisiana operating budget flat, other costs rise - New Orleans CityBusiness

New Orleans CityBusiness · Jun 5

Louisiana lawmakers tighten oversight of public assistance - The Center Square

The Center Square · Jun 9

Creation of Homelessness Court Program Awaits Louisiana Governor’s Signature - Red River Radio

Red River Radio · Jun 8

What Residents Say

Pros and cons of moving to Louisiana?

My boyfriend is from Louisiana, and he's thinking about moving back to the state with me. I'm unsure about it. We haven't made any decisions yet, so ......

reddit.com ↗

Move to New Orleans? : r/AskNOLA

The cost of living here has gone up considerably in the last few years and unless you are porting your salary from CA as well (or working ......

reddit.com ↗

Relocation to LA? : r/Louisiana

How-dee. My current job has an opening in a manufacturing plant in Slidell. The pay is more than I make in Oregon and the cost of living looks to be ......

reddit.com ↗

Moving to Louisiana from California?

If I were to move to there ( either Kenner or St Charles Parish) from California what would be the pros and cons? Also if anybody here has done this ......

reddit.com ↗

For the people who have moved away from Louisiana

Cost of living isn't low anymore, but I have a family and raising kids in colorado schools is waaaay different for the better....

reddit.com ↗

Moving to Santa Monica : r/MovingToLosAngeles

Sales tax- sales tax in Santa Monica is almost 11%. Price of gas- over $5/gallon. Car insurance- very high. If you bring a car from out of state ......

reddit.com ↗

Moving to Nashville to Make $55K/Year?

So I’m currently living in Louisiana. I’ve been offered a job in Nashville making 55K/year, of course I’m making 60K/year here right now. Obviously, ......

reddit.com ↗

Salary needed to maintain $60K Texas lifestyle in LA?

I’m currently at $60K in Arlington, TX. My company is considering relocating me to our LA branch. Given cost of living, taxes, rent, etc., what salary ......

reddit.com ↗

What's keeping you here? : r/Louisiana

... moving is cost of living difference and the home prices/property taxes. You will be blown away by how much property tax costs on a home each ......

reddit.com ↗

Florida to Louisiana/mississippi : r/relocating

Louisiana has a high as heck sales tax. Over 10% in some areas. Food is probably better in LA. Things can get sketchy near NOLA. Check out AL or ......

reddit.com ↗

Stay Current

Get notified when Louisiana tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Louisiana Guides

lifestyle

New Orleans Live Music: Why the City Never Sleeps

New Orleans hosts more live music per square mile than any other American city, with over 300 venues

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

Your Priorities

Adjust and every page updates live

Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable