Ponchatoula, LA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Ponchatoula, LA Summary

Cost of living in Ponchatoula research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Ponchatoula is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Louisiana, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Ponchatoula is 91, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Ponchatoula is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Ponchatoula ranks as the #42 cheapest in Louisiana out of 106.

  • Ponchatoula ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Ponchatoula is $245,142.

  • The median income in Ponchatoula is $47,821.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
Ponchatoula's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Ponchatoula, LA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Ponchatoula has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Louisiana, Ponchatoula has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Louisiana's index of 90.

The standard of living in Ponchatoula ranks as #42 most affordable out of the 106 places we measured in Louisiana. By definition, that implies Ponchatoula ranks as the #64 most expensive place in the Pelican State.

For more reading on life in Ponchatoula, check out:

42 out of 106
In Louisiana
1,347 out of 6,489
In America

Ponchatoula Cost Of Living Vs. Louisiana

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Ponchatoula. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Ponchatoula is 95.

  • The Groceries index in Ponchatoula is 97.

  • The Health index in Ponchatoula is 100.

  • The Housing index in Ponchatoula is 88.

  • The Transportation index in Ponchatoula is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Ponchatoula is 82.

Living Expense Ponchatoula Louisiana National Average
Overall 91 90 100
Services 95 94 100
Groceries 97 93 100
Health 100 100 100
Housing 88 80 100
Transportation 92 94 100
Utilities 82 83 100
For more reading on cost of living around Louisiana, check out:
Ponchatoula Cost of Living Vs. LA

Ponchatoula, LA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Louisiana, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Ponchatoula is $245,142.

  • The Median Rent in Ponchatoula is $1,079.

  • The Median Income in Ponchatoula is $47,821.

  • The Home Value To Income in Ponchatoula is 5.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Ponchatoula is 0.27x.

Statistic Ponchatoula Louisiana United States
Median Home Value $245,142 $209,929 $303,400
Median Rent $1,079 $1,038 $1,348
Median Income $47,821 $60,023 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.1x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.21x 0.21x
$245,142
Median Home Value
$1,079
Median Rent
$47,821
Median Income

Ponchatoula, LA Costs By Category

Detailed Ponchatoula Services Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Ponchatoula Louisiana
Shampoo $1.19 $1.28
Movie $11.93 $12.13
Bowling $19.0 $18
Haircut $24.85 $24.26
Beauty Salon $46.92 $45.56

Detailed Ponchatoula Groceries Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Ponchatoula Louisiana
Ground Beef $5.61 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.68 $1.57
Milk $4.53 $4.67
Potatoes $5.12 $4.93
Pizza $10.95 $12.09
Beer $9.71 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7

Detailed Ponchatoula Health Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Ponchatoula Louisiana
Optometrist $95.65 $125.68
Doctor $125.52 $135.78
Dentist $122.39 $113.29

Detailed Ponchatoula Transportation Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Ponchatoula Louisiana
Gasoline $3.18 $3.46
Tire Balancing $57.42 $59.92

Detailed Ponchatoula Utilities Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Ponchatoula Louisiana
All Electricity $136.13 $193.99
Phone $187.85 $192.25

Ponchatoula SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8
Affordability
4
Diversity
8.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
5
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Ponchatoula

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Ponchatoula. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • New Orleans, LA has a cost of living index of 108, 1.2x Ponchatoula.

  • Baton Rouge, LA has a cost of living index of 95, 1.0x Ponchatoula.

  • Metairie, LA has a cost of living index of 107, 1.2x Ponchatoula.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Ponchatoula
New Orleans, LA 376,035 108 1.2x
Baton Rouge, LA 223,699 95 1.0x
Metairie, LA 138,995 107 1.2x
Kenner, LA 65,113 101 1.1x
Marrero, LA 31,866 95 1.0x
Chalmette, LA 22,447 97 1.1x
Harvey, LA 21,710 95 1.0x
Hammond, LA 20,790 95 1.0x
Baker, LA 12,322 89 1.0x
Bogalusa, LA 10,539 86 0.9x

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