Moving from Kentucky to Louisiana
Moving to Louisiana on the same salary slightly raises your real buying power (+3.4%); about $62,700 there would match what you have now. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
Equal salary in LA: $62,700
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $62,700 in Louisiana to match $65,000 in Kentucky ($2,300 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $65,000 | Kentucky | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $5,620 | $5,620 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $4,973 | $4,973 |
| State income tax | $2,157 | $1,564 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $52,250 | $52,844 |
Key facts: Kentucky to Louisiana
- Median rent
- $998 → $1,064/mo
- Median home value
- $226,000 → $223,200
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 90.2 → 88.2
- Road distance
- ≈ 710 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Above average → Among the highest
What changes when you move to Louisiana
- Your state taxes fall by about $594 a year on the same $65,000 salary.
- BEA's housing price index is 2% lower in Louisiana. Median rent goes from $998 to $1,064 a month and the median home value from $226,000 to $223,200.
- Homeowners pay less property tax: the median bill is $1,187 in Louisiana vs $1,611 in Kentucky.
- Prices for everyday goods are 2% lower (BEA). The statewide sales tax rate is 5% in Louisiana vs 6% in Kentucky, before local sales taxes.
Who moves from Kentucky to Louisiana
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 303 households (558 people) filed their taxes in Louisiana after filing in Kentucky the year before. That makes Louisiana the #27 destination for people leaving Kentucky. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $56,317. Going the other way, 380 households moved from Louisiana to Kentucky, a net loss of 77 households for Louisiana.
Five-year trend
Moves from Kentucky to Louisiana peaked in 2020–21 at 322 households, then fell 6% by 2022–23. That is still down 3% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Kentucky to Louisiana
Moving cost: $580–$8,140
Moving about 710 miles from Kentucky to Louisiana costs roughly $580 – $8,140, depending on how much of the work you hire out.
Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).
| Moving method | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time. | $580 – $2,140 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,390 – $3,160 |
| Full-service movers Packing, loading, transport and unloading. | $2,280 – $8,140 |
These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.
A rental truck also burns about 71 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.
Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.
Alaska and Hawaii ranges come from published carrier rates and moving quotes, dated in each row (Matson's household-goods rates, U-Pack, Royal Hawaiian Movers). See how we estimate.
Shipping a car from Kentucky to Louisiana
Car shipping: $770–$1,150
Shipping a sedan from Kentucky to Louisiana on an open carrier costs about $770–$1,150, typically 3–7 days in transit over about 710 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Kentucky vs Louisiana take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in LA | Take-home change | Take-home in KY | Take-home in LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $48,200 | +$519 | $40,723 | $41,241 |
| $75,000 | $72,100 | +$644 | $59,085 | $59,729 |
| $100,000 | $96,400 | +$769 | $75,798 | $76,566 |
| $150,000 | $144,800 | +$1,019 | $108,659 | $109,677 |
| $250,000 | $241,400 | +$1,519 | $174,550 | $176,068 |
Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.
Cost of living: Kentucky vs Louisiana
| Measure | Kentucky | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 90.2 | 88.2 |
| Housing price index | 64.3 | 63.1 |
| Utilities price index | 75.3 | 71.5 |
| Goods price index | 96.0 | 93.7 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $998 | $1,064 |
| Median home value | $226,000 | $223,200 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $1,611 | $1,187 |
| Electricity (residential) | 14.26¢/kWh | 13.49¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 6% | 5% |
| Median household income | $64,526 | $60,986 |
Renting and buying: Kentucky vs Louisiana
| Measure | Kentucky | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $39,920 | $42,560 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $1,448 | $1,474 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $62,049 | $63,152 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,401 | $2,312 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $12,740 | $10,847 |
Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in Louisiana for other down payments.
Your yearly budget: Kentucky vs Louisiana
On a $65,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $36,458 a year in Kentucky and $38,055 in Louisiana if you rent: $1,597 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $41,856 and $42,970 ($1,114 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | KY | LA | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $65,000, single filer | $12,750 | $12,156 | -$594 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,606 | $1,692 | +$86 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,046 | $1,754 | +$708 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,000 | $1,933 | -$67 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,080 | $7,752 | +$672 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $11,976 | $12,768 | +$792 |
| Total if you rent | $36,458 | $38,055 | +$1,597 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $14,362 | $14,184 | -$178 |
| Property tax median home | $1,611 | $1,187 | -$424 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,401 | $2,312 | +$911 |
| Total if you buy | $41,856 | $42,970 | +$1,114 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $12,740 a year in Kentucky and $10,847 in Louisiana (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Cost of living in Louisiana cities: New Orleans, Baton Rouge.
After you arrive in Louisiana
- Louisiana new resident checklist: driver license and vehicle registration deadlines.
- Taxes the year you move: part-year returns in Kentucky and Louisiana.
- How Louisiana taxes retirement income.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in Louisiana to live like I do in Kentucky?
A $65,000 salary in Kentucky works out to about $62,700 in Louisiana once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $96,400.
Will I pay less tax in Louisiana than in Kentucky?
Yes, about $594 less a year in income and payroll taxes on a $65,000 salary (19.6% of pay in Kentucky vs 18.7% in Louisiana). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Kentucky to Louisiana?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 710 miles, expect roughly $580–$2,140 with a rental truck, $1,390–$3,160 with a moving container, or $2,280–$8,140 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Kentucky to Louisiana?
Moves from Kentucky to Louisiana peaked in 2020–21 at 322 households, then fell 6% by 2022–23. That is still down 3% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Kentucky to Louisiana?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 303 households (558 people) moved from Kentucky to Louisiana, making Louisiana the #27 destination for people leaving Kentucky. 380 households moved the other way.
Is Louisiana cheaper than Kentucky?
Overall prices in Louisiana are 2.2% lower than Kentucky (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,064 vs $998 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from Kentucky actually move
- KY to Ohio 6,362 households
- KY to Indiana 5,940 households
- KY to Tennessee 5,634 households
- KY to Florida 4,578 households
- KY to Texas 2,642 households
- KY to Illinois 1,741 households
- KY to Georgia 1,625 households
- KY to North Carolina 1,565 households