Living Cost Compare
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,490/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 $1,490 in Nashville, TN versus $1,000 in Shreveport, LA. Overall, Shreveport, LA is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $75,197 in Nashville, TN and $48,465 in Shreveport, LA — about 36% higher in Nashville, TN. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Nashville, TN
Shreveport, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,341
$756
+44% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$1,336
$843
+37% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$1,478
$978
+34% in Nashville, TN
3 Bedroom
$1,832
$1,136
+38% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$383,100
$178,100
+54% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$75,197
$48,465
+36% in Nashville, TN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,390
$44,820
+11% in Nashville, TN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
37.5 yr
+3.1 yr in Shreveport, LA
Homeownership
53.0%
53.8%
+0.8 pp in Shreveport, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
46.9%
27.5%
+19.4 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
24.9 min
19.0 min
+5.9 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,178.7
1,235.4
+5% in Shreveport, LA
Property Crime
4,558.5
4,048.2
+11% in Nashville, TN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
59.4°F
65.5°F
+6.1°F in Shreveport, LA
Annual Precipitation
47.3 in
51.0 in
+3.7 in in Shreveport, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.62/gal
+8% in Nashville, TN

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
—

Adult base one-way fare — WeGo Public Transit vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.5
14.2
+2% in Nashville, TN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.83
$16.62
+1% in Nashville, TN

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 (TN / LA)
7%
5%
+2.0 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.00%
+3.0 pp in LA

Nashville vs Shreveport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or Shreveport?
Shreveport, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,000 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Nashville, TN's $1,490, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashville than in Shreveport?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $34,000 in Shreveport.
Which has lower taxes, Nashville or Shreveport?
Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% 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).