Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Orleans, LA
VS
Savannah, GA
🏆 Savannah leads 12 of 21 categories
New Orleans
Louisiana
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,116
Violent Crime Index
380⚠ High
Population
380,408 ✓ Larger
Savannah
Georgia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6
Median Household Income
$54,748 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
5 ✓ Safer
Population
147,583
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Orleans, LA
Pros
More college-educated — 40.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.1)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Savannah
Cons
Violent crime (1444.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4640.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 7.2%)
Median income trails Savannah by $3,632/yr
Savannah, GA
Pros
99% less violent crime than New Orleans
Homes cost $78k less ($203,300 vs $281,500)
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (7.2%)
Households earn $3,632 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Cost of living runs 5% higher than New Orleans
Key Differences at a Glance
New Orleans
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 91.1 vs 95.6 (100 = US avg)
Savannah
Median Income
$3,632
$54,748 vs $51,116/yr
Savannah
Violent Crime
99% lower
20.3 vs 1444.1 per 100k
Savannah
Median Home Value
$78k less
$203,300 vs $281,500
Savannah
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
7.2% vs 8.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Orleans, LA | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.1 ✓ Cheaper | 95.6 |
| Median Home Value | $281,500 | $203,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,162 ✓ Lower | $1,216 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $51,116 | $54,748 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.4%⚠ High | 7.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 316⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 380⚠ High | 5 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 221⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (112) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.8:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.7% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 88.7% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Einstein Charter Middle Sch at Sarah Towles Reed | Savannah-Chatham County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.0°F | 61.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 52.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 380,408 ✓ Larger | 147,583 |
| Median Age | 37.9 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.3% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | 20.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 14.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Orleans's cost of living index is 91.1 vs Savannah's 95.6 (US average = 100).
New Orleans is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Savannah leads 12 of 21 categories. New Orleans wins 9 and Savannah wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from New Orleans to Savannah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($281,500 vs $203,300 median home), income ($51,116 vs $54,748), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Orleans, LA and Savannah, GA are about 535 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.