Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Salt Lake City, UT
VS
Shreveport, LA
🏆 Shreveport leads 13 of 23 categories
Salt Lake City
Utah
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.7
Median Household Income
$72,357 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
227⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
201,269 ✓ Larger
Shreveport
Louisiana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$45,967
Violent Crime Index
323⚠ High
Population
186,183
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Salt Lake City, UT
Pros
Households earn $26,390 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.6 pts lower (3.6%)
30% less violent crime than Shreveport
More college-educated — 50.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $458,600
Violent crime (864.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5200.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Shreveport
Shreveport, LA
Pros
Homes cost $290k less ($168,900 vs $458,600)
Rent averages $309/mo less ($945 vs $1,254)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Salt Lake City
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 40°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.1)
Smaller class sizes — 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Salt Lake City by $26,390/yr
Violent crime (1228.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3990.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.2% vs 3.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Salt Lake City
Median Income
$26,390
$72,357 vs $45,967/yr
Salt Lake City
Violent Crime
30% lower
864.2 vs 1228.5 per 100k
Salt Lake City
Unemployment
5.6 pp lower
3.6% vs 9.2% unemployment
Shreveport
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 87.1 vs 97.7 (100 = US avg)
Shreveport
Median Home Value
$290k less
$168,900 vs $458,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Salt Lake City, UT | Shreveport, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.7 | 87.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $458,600⚠ High | $168,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,254 | $945 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,357 ✓ Higher | $45,967 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% ✓ Lower | 9.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.7 min | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 15.9% ✓ Higher | 4.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 236⚠ High ✓ Safer | 270⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 227⚠ High ✓ Safer | 323⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 248⚠ High | 190⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.2:1 | 15.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.2% ✓ Higher | 26.6% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 87.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Salt Lake District | Caddo Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.7°F | 58.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.4°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.7" ✓ Drier | 51.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0" | 0.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 201,269 ✓ Larger | 186,183 |
| Median Age | 32.5 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 53.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 23.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 17.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Salt Lake City's cost of living index is 97.7 vs Shreveport's 87.1 (US average = 100).
Shreveport is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Shreveport leads 13 of 23 categories. Salt Lake City wins 10 and Shreveport wins 13. 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 Salt Lake City to Shreveport or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($458,600 vs $168,900 median home), income ($72,357 vs $45,967), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Salt Lake City, UT and Shreveport, LA are about 1,155 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.