Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or New Orleans?

New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 26% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in New Orleans?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $41,000 in New Orleans.

Which has lower taxes, Henderson or New Orleans?

Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); New Orleans under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax).

Henderson vs New Orleans Cost of Living 2026

Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/mo est.

New Orleans

Louisiana

$1,170/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,580 in Henderson, NV versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 26% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Henderson, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,654 in Henderson, NV and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 38% higher in Henderson, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Henderson, NV

New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio

$1,442

$953

+34% in Henderson, NV

1 Bedroom

$1,437

$1,019

+29% in Henderson, NV

2 Bedroom

$1,694

$1,287

+24% in Henderson, NV

3 Bedroom

$1,982

$1,392

+30% in Henderson, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$465,000

$296,400

+36% in Henderson, NV

Income

Median Household Income

$88,654

$55,339

+38% in Henderson, NV

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,670

$47,290

+1% in New Orleans, LA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.5 yr

38.4 yr

+4.1 yr in Henderson, NV

Homeownership

65.6%

50.5%

+15.1 pp in Henderson, NV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

36.8%

42.0%

+5.2 pp in New Orleans, LA

Avg Commute

24.7 min

22.7 min

+2.0 min in Henderson, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

271.8

1,361.1

+401% in New Orleans, LA

Property Crime

1,725.7

5,089.6

+195% in New Orleans, LA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

69.4°F

70.6°F

+1.2°F in New Orleans, LA

Annual Precipitation

4.2 in

62.3 in

+58.1 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.62/gal

+29% in Henderson, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$1.25

Adult base one-way fare — — vs New Orleans RTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.6

14.2

+4% in New Orleans, LA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$12.09

$16.62

+37% in New Orleans, LA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Henderson, NV

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Henderson, NV

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in New Orleans, LA

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Henderson, NV

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Henderson, NV

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Henderson, NV

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / LA)

6.85%

+1.8 pp in NV

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.00%

+3.0 pp in LA

Henderson vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or New Orleans?: New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 26% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in New Orleans?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Henderson or New Orleans?: Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); New Orleans 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).