Ruston, LA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Ruston, LA Summary

Cost of living in Ruston 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 Ruston 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 Ruston is 90, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Ruston ranks as the #35 cheapest in Louisiana out of 106.

  • Ruston ranks as the #1,206 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Ruston is $223,355.

  • The median income in Ruston is $32,765.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
90
Ruston's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Ruston, LA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Ruston has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Ruston ranks as #35 most affordable out of the 106 places we measured in Louisiana. By definition, that implies Ruston ranks as the #71 most expensive place in the Pelican State.

For more reading on life in Ruston, check out:

35 out of 106
In Louisiana
1,206 out of 6,489
In America

Ruston Cost Of Living Vs. Louisiana

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

  • The Services index in Ruston is 89.

  • The Groceries index in Ruston is 95.

  • The Health index in Ruston is 101.

  • The Housing index in Ruston is 90.

  • The Transportation index in Ruston is 88.

  • The Utilities index in Ruston is 79.

Living Expense Ruston Louisiana National Average
Overall 90 90 100
Services 89 94 100
Groceries 95 93 100
Health 101 100 100
Housing 90 80 100
Transportation 88 94 100
Utilities 79 83 100
For more reading on cost of living around Louisiana, check out:
Ruston Cost of Living Vs. LA

Ruston, 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 Ruston is $223,355.

  • The Median Rent in Ruston is $819.

  • The Median Income in Ruston is $32,765.

  • The Home Value To Income in Ruston is 6.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Ruston is 0.3x.

Statistic Ruston Louisiana United States
Median Home Value $223,355 $209,929 $303,400
Median Rent $819 $1,038 $1,348
Median Income $32,765 $60,023 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.8x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.3x 0.21x 0.21x
$223,355
Median Home Value
$819
Median Rent
$32,765
Median Income

Ruston, LA Costs By Category

Detailed Ruston Services Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Ruston Louisiana
Shampoo $1.33 $1.28
Movie $12.98 $12.13
Bowling $20.0 $18
Haircut $23.22 $24.26
Beauty Salon $46.11 $45.56

Detailed Ruston Groceries Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Ruston Louisiana
Ground Beef $6.31 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.67 $1.57
Milk $4.61 $4.67
Potatoes $5.17 $4.93
Pizza $10.99 $12.09
Beer $9.63 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.52 $3.7

Detailed Ruston Health Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Ruston Louisiana
Optometrist $110.11 $125.68
Doctor $173.89 $135.78
Dentist $128.33 $113.29

Detailed Ruston Transportation Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Ruston Louisiana
Gasoline $3.15 $3.46
Tire Balancing $56.44 $59.92

Detailed Ruston Utilities Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Ruston Louisiana
All Electricity $126.52 $193.99
Phone $186.9 $192.25

Ruston SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
3
Diversity
9
Safety
4
Amenities
8
Education
8.5
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Ruston

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

  • Monroe, LA has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Ruston.

  • El Dorado, AR has a cost of living index of 77, 0.9x Ruston.

  • Jamestown, ND has a cost of living index of 90, 1.0x Ruston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Ruston
Monroe, LA 47,241 87 1.0x
El Dorado, AR 17,382 77 0.9x
Jamestown, ND 15,774 90 1.0x
West Monroe, LA 12,837 82 0.9x
Claiborne, LA 12,647 90 1.0x
Minden, LA 11,604 89 1.0x
Bastrop, LA 9,408 78 0.9x
Grambling, LA 5,302 85 0.9x

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