City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baton Rouge, LA are 1.9% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $101,900 in Baton Rouge, LA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Baton Rouge, LA and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $534 a year higher in Davenport, IA than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Davenport, IA ($106,437 → $108,137), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,126 in Davenport | $101,910 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Davenport, IA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$534/yr.
75 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$534/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Davenport, IA is in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Davenport, IA | Real change, Baton Rouge → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,708 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,871 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,937 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,137 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,786 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $61,650 | $62,827 (+5.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $115,780 | $117,991 (+15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $77,600 | $79,082 (+8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $77,150 | $78,623 (−3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.