New Orleans vs Shreveport
Compare New Orleans, LA and Shreveport, LA on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Shreveport is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $956/mo versus $1,151/mo in New Orleans — a gap of about $195/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,073/mo against $1,362/mo. Across the four public-data screens New Orleans comes out ahead (250 vs 233 summed points), though Shreveport still wins specific categories below.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 91°F and 91°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Shreveport; if walkable daily life matters more, New Orleans screens stronger on the walkability proxy (22 vs 7). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Shreveport leads 75 to 67 on the cost and climate screen.
New Orleans leads 82 to 76 on the work screen.
New Orleans leads 54 to 42 on the daily life screen.
New Orleans leads 47 to 40 on the community screen.
$85,000 in New Orleans is roughly $170,000 in Shreveport using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | New Orleans | Shreveport | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,151/mo | $956/mo | Shreveport |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,362/mo | $1,073/mo | Shreveport |
| Median home value | $243,000 | $177,000 | Shreveport |
| State income tax | 3% | 3% | Tie |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 23.4 min | Shreveport |
| Safety score | 26/100 | 31/100 | Shreveport |
| School score | 4/10 | 3/10 | New Orleans |
| Walkability estimate | 22/100 | 7/100 | New Orleans |
| Outdoor score | 5/10 | 6/10 | Shreveport |
| Restaurants per 100k | 181.0 | 168.1 | New Orleans |
| Mountain distance | 225 mi | 96 mi | Shreveport |
| Coast distance | 11 mi | 178 mi | New Orleans |
What stands out
New Orleans stronger signals
- Major airport access
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Named beach within 23 miles
New Orleans tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Shreveport stronger signals
- Trail access within 28 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- More affordable than many peer metros
- Shorter average commute
Shreveport tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Common questions
Is New Orleans cheaper than Shreveport?
On public benchmarks Shreveport is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,151/mo in New Orleans vs $956/mo in Shreveport; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,362/mo vs $1,073/mo; state income tax is 3% vs 3%.
Is New Orleans or Shreveport safer?
Shreveport screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 26/100 for New Orleans and 31/100 for Shreveport (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, New Orleans or Shreveport?
School screens show 4/10 for New Orleans vs 3/10 for Shreveport, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between New Orleans and Shreveport?
New Orleans: summer highs near 91°F, winter lows near 43°F, disaster-risk band 3/3. Shreveport: 91°F / 41°F, disaster-risk band 3/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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