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Louisiana cost of living & income (2026)

Quick answer: Louisiana has a cost-of-living index of 91.1 (100 = national baseline), an illustrative estimated annual cost of living of about $45,550, median household income of $60,986, combined average sales tax about 9.55%, and regular gas about $3.548/gal in the June 2026 AAA snapshot used on the hub.

COL index91.1100 = US baseline
Est. annual COL$45,550
Median HH income$60,986
Sales tax (comb.)9.55%
Gas (87 octane)$3.548/galJune 2026 AAA
Largest cityNew Orleans (364,136)

Taxes & economy

Income tax: Flat 3%

Sales tax: 4.45% state (combined avg. ~9.55%)

Major industries: Energy/oil & gas, petrochemicals, agriculture/seafood, tourism (New Orleans), ports

Climate snapshot

Summer high ~91°F (July) · Winter low ~42°F (January)

Culture (context)

National WWII Museum / French Quarter heritage

Open the interactive 50-state map & table — sort, filter, and use the dual ranker on the full explorer.

What this means for you

What this means for you: a basket priced at 100 on the national baseline is indexed at 91.1 in Louisiana. A salary that buys that basket at the baseline would need about 91.1% of that salary to buy the same basket here. That is index math from this snapshot, not a tax-equalized offer and not your rent.

Compare a salary: Louisiana vs Texas on the explorer.

How to read this page

  1. Read the quick answer for Louisiana's cost-of-living index, estimated annual cost, median income, sales tax, and gas price.
  2. Open the 50-state explorer and compare Louisiana with another state. The salary line multiplies pay by the other index divided by this index.
  3. Use the mortgage, rent, and paycheck calculators with your own numbers. This page does not compute a tax return.

Related calculators: mortgage · rent · paycheck.

Related states

Similar cost-of-living index in this dataset:

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FAQ

What is Louisiana's cost of living index?

Louisiana's cost-of-living index is 91.1 (national baseline 100) in this 2026 classroom snapshot.

What is the estimated annual cost of living in Louisiana?

The explorer lists an illustrative estimated annual cost of living of about $45,550 for Louisiana.

What is median household income in Louisiana?

Median household income in Louisiana is $60,986 in this dataset.

What is the combined average sales tax rate in Louisiana?

The combined average sales tax rate shown for Louisiana is 9.55%. State and local rules vary; see the Tax Foundation citation on the hub.

Does Louisiana have a state income tax?

State income tax in Louisiana: Flat 3%.

What was regular gas in Louisiana in this snapshot?

87-octane gas is listed at $3.548 per gallon (AAA, June 2026) in the explorer data.

How should a household read Louisiana's cost-of-living index?

The index is 91.1 against a US baseline of 100. A salary that buys a basket at the baseline would need about 91.1% of that salary to buy the same basket in Louisiana in this snapshot. It is not a tax bill, a rent quote, or financial advice.

Sources: Tax Foundation (sales tax), BEA / ACS (income & COL), AAA gas (June 20, 2026). Educational, not financial, tax, or relocation advice.