Shreveport LA vs St. Petersburg FL — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Shreveport, LA

Louisiana · Population: 183,483

  • Median HH Income$48,465
  • Median Home Price$146,463
  • Unemployment8.9%
  • Bachelor's+27.5%

St. Petersburg, FL

Florida · Population: 260,646

  • Median HH Income$73,118
  • Median Home Price$331,500
  • Unemployment4.9%
  • Bachelor's+41.3%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Shreveport
183,483
St. Petersburg
260,646
St. Petersburg +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Shreveport
N/A
St. Petersburg
N/A
Median Age
Shreveport
37.5
Shreveport +
St. Petersburg
43.1
Foreign Born
Shreveport
2.6%
St. Petersburg
10.1%
St. Petersburg +
White
Shreveport
36.5%
St. Petersburg
66.2%
St. Petersburg +
Black
Shreveport
56.1%
Shreveport +
St. Petersburg
19.4%
Asian
Shreveport
1.5%
St. Petersburg
3.1%
St. Petersburg +
Hispanic
Shreveport
3.9%
St. Petersburg
9.3%
St. Petersburg +
Spanish at Home
Shreveport
N/A
St. Petersburg
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Shreveport
$48,465
St. Petersburg
$73,118
St. Petersburg +
Per Capita Income
Shreveport
$33,788
St. Petersburg
$49,823
St. Petersburg +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Shreveport
$55,297
St. Petersburg
$65,328
St. Petersburg +
Unemployment Rate
Shreveport
8.9%
St. Petersburg
4.9%
St. Petersburg +
Poverty Rate
Shreveport
23.6%
St. Petersburg
11.7%
St. Petersburg +
Bachelor's Degree+
Shreveport
27.5%
St. Petersburg
41.3%
St. Petersburg +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Shreveport
$146,463
Shreveport +
St. Petersburg
$331,500
Homeownership Rate
Shreveport
53.8%
St. Petersburg
63.0%
St. Petersburg +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Shreveport
643
St. Petersburg
324
St. Petersburg +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Shreveport
2824
St. Petersburg
1453
St. Petersburg +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Shreveport
43.1%
St. Petersburg
32.7%
St. Petersburg +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Shreveport
17.6%
St. Petersburg
12.2%
St. Petersburg +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Shreveport
20.1%
St. Petersburg
16.6%
St. Petersburg +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Shreveport
9.6%
Shreveport +
St. Petersburg
11.1%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Shreveport
14.5%
Shreveport +
St. Petersburg
16.6%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Shreveport
19.1%
St. Petersburg
12.4%
St. Petersburg +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Shreveport
N/A
St. Petersburg
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Shreveport
52.7 in
St. Petersburg
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Shreveport
8.9 µg/m³
St. Petersburg
7.2 µg/m³
St. Petersburg +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Shreveport
75.0%
St. Petersburg
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Shreveport
20.5 min
Shreveport +
St. Petersburg
26.8 min

Which City is Right for You?

St. Petersburg leads in median household income at $73,118, while shreveport offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $146,463. On public safety, St. Petersburg is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 643 in Shreveport. St. Petersburg has a lower unemployment rate at 4.9%, and St. Petersburg has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, St. Petersburg scores better with a lower obesity rate of 32.7%.

Compare More Cities

About Shreveport & St. Petersburg