CostIndexUSA

Fargo, ND vs New Orleans, LA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableND
Fargo
90.9
overall index
$1,100/mo rent
LA
New Orleans
92.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent

Fargo is slightly cheaper than New Orleans — 1.9% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Fargo, you would need $81,500 in New Orleans. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+6.0%
Fargo
81.1
New Orleans
86
🛒 Groceries−2.1%
Fargo
95.7
New Orleans
93.7
🚗 Transportation+4.8%
Fargo
95.9
New Orleans
100.5
🏥 Healthcare+4.7%
Fargo
86.8
New Orleans
90.9
⚡ Utilities−7.9%
Fargo
77.3
New Orleans
71.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Fargo to see what you'd need to earn in New Orleans to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
→
Equivalent salary in New Orleans, LA
$81,500
$1,500 more needed in New Orleans

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 90.9) = salary × 1.0187. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Fargo, ND

Median Home Price
$313,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,100
Housing Index
81.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.7×

New Orleans, LA

Median Home Price
$253,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
86
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.4×

New Orleans has 6.0% higher housing costs compared to Fargo.

Income & Job Market

Fargo, ND

Median Household Income
$72,900
Per Capita Income
$41,600
Unemployment Rate
3.7%
Population
125,990
Top Industries
HealthcareFinanceEducationTechnologyRetail

New Orleans, LA

Median Household Income
$61,000
Per Capita Income
$34,800
Unemployment Rate
5%
Population
383,997
Top Industries
TourismEnergyHealthcareShippingEntertainment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Fargo, ND
5.5×income-to-rent ratio

82% of income left after rent (median)

New Orleans, LA
3.2×income-to-rent ratio

69% of income left after rent (median)

Fargo vs other cities

Fargo, ND
vs
Bismarck, ND
Index: 90.9Index: 91
Fargo, ND
vs
Allentown, PA
Index: 90.9Index: 100
Fargo, ND
vs
Columbia, MO
Index: 90.9Index: 89.4
Fargo, ND
vs
Topeka, KS
Index: 90.9Index: 88.8
Fargo, ND
vs
Abilene, TX
Index: 90.9Index: 90.4

New Orleans vs other cities

New Orleans, LA
vs
Baton Rouge, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 90.8
New Orleans, LA
vs
Lafayette, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 87.2
New Orleans, LA
vs
Lake Charles, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 85.9
New Orleans, LA
vs
Bakersfield, CA
Index: 92.6Index: 100.9
New Orleans, LA
vs
Arlington, TX
Index: 92.6Index: 103.1

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.