Moving to Louisiana from Massachusetts

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Massachusetts to Louisiana? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Massachusetts to Louisiana, you would find that Louisiana is 20.8% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly $57,093 in Louisiana to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Baton Rouge averages 79°F vs 59°F in Boston, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Massachusetts and Louisiana.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $57,093

To maintain the same standard of living in Louisiana

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 15.8% less

Groceries

pay 11.4% less

Transportation

pay 15.0% less

Housing

pay 27.4% less

Childcare

pay 46.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 20.3% 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

The numbers behind daily life in Louisiana compared to Massachusetts.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MA
308
LA
543
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MA
1077
LA
2605

Massachusetts 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

MA
2.6%
LA
7.9%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MA
28.8%
LA
40.6%

Massachusetts performs better than Louisiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

MA
$525,800
LA
$208,700
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MA
$1,687
LA
$1,038

Louisiana performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

MA
91.9%
LA
84.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MA
29 min
LA
26 min

Massachusetts generally does better on infrastructure, though Louisiana leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
4.7%
LA
3.9%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$87,892
LA
$55,662

Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though Louisiana leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MA
79.0 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

MA
32%
LA
18%

Massachusetts 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.

Boston Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Boston Baton Rouge
Jan–Mar 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) 67°/45°F (19°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) 85°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) 91°/72°F (33°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) 72°/50°F (22°/10°C)
View all months
Month Boston Baton Rouge
Jan 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C)
Feb 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) 66°/44°F (18.7°/6.9°C)
Mar 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) 73°/50°F (22.6°/10.2°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 79°/57°F (26.3°/13.8°C)
May 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.4°C)
Jun 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) 91°/71°F (32.7°/21.9°C)
Jul 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) 92°/74°F (33.4°/23.2°C)
Aug 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) 92°/73°F (33.6°/23.0°C)
Sep 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) 89°/69°F (31.5°/20.3°C)
Oct 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) 81°/58°F (27.1°/14.4°C)
Nov 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C)
Dec 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°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 Massachusetts?

On average Louisiana is about 24% less expensive than Massachusetts, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Louisiana?

Budget about $14,273 for 3 months in Louisiana (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Louisiana safe?

Massachusetts performs better than Louisiana across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Louisiana compared to Massachusetts?

Massachusetts performs better than Louisiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Baton Rouge is 79°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Baton Rouge receives around 60.6 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.

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