Moving to Louisiana from Kansas

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Kansas to Louisiana — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Kansas to Louisiana, you would find that Louisiana is 3.1% more expensive than Kansas. A $75,000 salary in Kansas would need to be roughly $79,211 in Louisiana to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Baton Rouge averages 79°F vs 66°F in Topeka, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Kansas to Louisiana.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $79,211

To maintain the same standard of living in Louisiana

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 4.0% more

Groceries

pay 7.6% more

Transportation

pay 4.5% more

Housing

pay 3.8% more

Childcare

pay 8.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Kansas to Louisiana.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

KS
424
LA
543
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

KS
2068
LA
2605

Kansas performs better than Louisiana across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

KS
8.6%
LA
7.9%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

KS
36.8%
LA
40.6%

Kansas generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Louisiana leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

KS
$203,400
LA
$208,700
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

KS
$1,029
LA
$1,038

Kansas generally does better on what about housing?, though Louisiana leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

KS
89.5%
LA
84.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

KS
20 min
LA
26 min

Kansas performs better than Louisiana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

KS
3.4%
LA
3.9%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

KS
$60,996
LA
$55,662

Kansas performs better than Louisiana across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

KS
76.4 yrs
LA
73.1 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

KS
23%
LA
18%

Kansas performs better than Louisiana across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Topeka Rain: 38.9 in/yr (989 mm)
66° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Baton Rouge Rain: 60.6 in/yr (1540 mm)
79° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Topeka Baton Rouge
Jan–Mar 46°/25°F (8°/-4°C) 67°/45°F (19°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/53°F (24°/12°C) 85°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/63°F (30°/17°C) 91°/72°F (33°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/32°F (12°/0°C) 72°/50°F (22°/10°C)
View all months
Month Topeka Baton Rouge
Jan 39°/19°F (4.1°/-7.3°C) 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C)
Feb 44°/23°F (6.9°/-5.1°C) 66°/44°F (18.7°/6.9°C)
Mar 56°/32°F (13.4°/0.1°C) 73°/50°F (22.6°/10.2°C)
Apr 66°/43°F (19.1°/5.9°C) 79°/57°F (26.3°/13.8°C)
May 75°/53°F (24.1°/11.8°C) 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.4°C)
Jun 84°/63°F (28.9°/17.0°C) 91°/71°F (32.7°/21.9°C)
Jul 90°/68°F (32.2°/19.9°C) 92°/74°F (33.4°/23.2°C)
Aug 89°/65°F (31.6°/18.6°C) 92°/73°F (33.6°/23.0°C)
Sep 80°/55°F (26.7°/13.0°C) 89°/69°F (31.5°/20.3°C)
Oct 67°/44°F (19.6°/6.6°C) 81°/58°F (27.1°/14.4°C)
Nov 54°/32°F (12.3°/0.2°C) 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C)
Dec 41°/21°F (4.9°/-5.9°C) 64°/43°F (17.8°/5.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Louisiana than Kansas?

No — Louisiana is on average about 6% more expensive than Kansas. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Louisiana?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,803 in Louisiana on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Louisiana safe?

Kansas performs better than Louisiana across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Louisiana compared to Kansas?

Kansas generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Louisiana leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Louisiana compared to Kansas?

The average high temperature in Baton Rouge is 79°F, compared to 66°F in Topeka. Baton Rouge receives around 60.6 in of rainfall per year, while Topeka gets 38.9 in.

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