Baton Rouge vs Central
Baton Rouge, Louisiana versus Central, Louisiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Baton Rouge edges out Central on overall objective livability (46 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Baton Rouge | Central |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $50k | $83k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $49k |
| Home Value | $218k | $266k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.59% | 0.66% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 9.56% | 9.56% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.00% | 9.56% |
| Unemployment | 8.6% | 2.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 52°F | 52°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 66.6 in | 66.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 261 days | 254 days |
| Summer Humidity | 74°F | 72°F |
| Comfortable Days | 109 days | 106 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 70.3 | 92.8 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 63.8 | 62.5 |
| Violent Crime | 2663/100k | 1927/100k |
| Property Crime | 5861/100k | 4353/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 225,500 | 29,518 |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 38.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.29 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | D+13 |
| White (%) | 35.8% | 83.0% |
| Black (%) | 52.4% | 8.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.4% | 2.6% |
| Asian (%) | 3.8% | 1.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 31 min |
| Walkability | 8.5/20 | 5.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 60 mi | 61 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.5% | 93.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.83 | 9.82 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Baton Rouge or Central more affordable?
- Central has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Baton Rouge's $49k and Central's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Baton Rouge versus $1k in Central.
- Is Baton Rouge or Central safer?
- Central has the lower violent crime rate. Baton Rouge reports 2663/100k and Central reports 1927/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Baton Rouge or Central?
- The median home value is $218k in Baton Rouge and $266k in Central, so homes are more affordable in Baton Rouge.