Living Cost Compare
Charlotte

North Carolina

$1,560/mo est.

vs
Shreveport

Louisiana

$1,000/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,560 in Charlotte, NC versus $1,000 in Shreveport, LA. Overall, Shreveport, LA is roughly 36% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charlotte, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,438 in Charlotte, NC and $48,465 in Shreveport, LA — about 38% higher in Charlotte, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Charlotte, NC
Shreveport, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,424
$756
+47% in Charlotte, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,374
$843
+39% in Charlotte, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,491
$978
+34% in Charlotte, NC
3 Bedroom
$1,663
$1,136
+32% in Charlotte, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$351,500
$178,100
+49% in Charlotte, NC

Income

Median Household Income
$78,438
$48,465
+38% in Charlotte, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,990
$44,820
+10% in Charlotte, NC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
37.5 yr
+3.1 yr in Shreveport, LA
Homeownership
51.5%
53.8%
+2.3 pp in Shreveport, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
47.4%
27.5%
+19.9 pp in Charlotte, NC
Avg Commute
25.0 min
19.0 min
+6.0 min in Charlotte, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
733.1
1,235.4
+69% in Shreveport, LA
Property Crime
3,718.9
4,048.2
+9% in Shreveport, LA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
59.9°F
65.5°F
+5.6°F in Shreveport, LA
Annual Precipitation
41.6 in
51.0 in
+9.3 in in Shreveport, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.62/gal
+6% in Charlotte, NC

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.20
—

Adult base one-way fare — CATS vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
14.2
+6% in Charlotte, NC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.56
$16.62
+40% in Charlotte, NC

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NC / LA)
4.75%
5%
+0.3 pp in LA
Income Tax (top rate)
3.99%
3.00%
+1.0 pp in NC

Charlotte vs Shreveport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charlotte or Shreveport?
Shreveport, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,000 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 36% below Charlotte, NC's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charlotte than in Shreveport?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Charlotte versus $34,000 in Shreveport.
Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or Shreveport?
Charlotte is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax); Shreveport under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).