Moving to Louisiana from Washington
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Washington to Louisiana — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Washington to Louisiana, you would find that Louisiana is 17.9% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $62,516 in Louisiana to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Baton Rouge averages 79°F vs 60°F in Olympia, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Washington to Louisiana.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $62,516
To maintain the same standard of living in Louisiana
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 13.8% less
Groceries
pay 8.4% less
Transportation
pay 21.8% less
Housing
pay 18.8% less
Childcare
pay 36.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.3% less
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 Washington to Louisiana.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Washington generally does better on safety, though Louisiana leads in property crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Washington performs better than Louisiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Louisiana performs significantly better than Washington across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Washington generally does better on infrastructure, though Louisiana leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though Louisiana leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Washington 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Olympia | Baton Rouge |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 67°/45°F (19°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) | 85°/64°F (30°/18°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 91°/72°F (33°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Olympia | Baton Rouge |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| Feb | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) | 66°/44°F (18.7°/6.9°C) |
| Mar | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) | 73°/50°F (22.6°/10.2°C) |
| Apr | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) | 79°/57°F (26.3°/13.8°C) |
| May | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.4°C) |
| Jun | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) | 91°/71°F (32.7°/21.9°C) |
| Jul | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) | 92°/74°F (33.4°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) | 92°/73°F (33.6°/23.0°C) |
| Sep | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) | 89°/69°F (31.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) | 81°/58°F (27.1°/14.4°C) |
| Nov | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) |
| Dec | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) | 64°/43°F (17.8°/5.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Louisiana than Washington?
Yes — Louisiana is on average about 17% cheaper than Washington. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Louisiana?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $15,629 in Louisiana on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Louisiana safe?
Washington generally does better on safety, though Louisiana leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Louisiana compared to Washington?
Washington performs better than Louisiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Louisiana compared to Washington?
The average high temperature in Baton Rouge is 79°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Baton Rouge receives around 60.6 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.
