City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 10.5% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $110,500 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,044 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Boise City, ID to Davenport, IA ($106,437 → $108,137), while prices change by −9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.2% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- 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
| Boise City, ID | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,536 in Davenport | $110,454 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,044/yr.
100 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,044/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID 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 Boise City, ID to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Davenport, IA | Real change, Boise City → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,708 | +12.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,871 | +12.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,937 | +12.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,137 | +12.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,786 | +12.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $61,650 | $68,095 (+11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $115,780 | $127,883 (−2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $77,600 | $85,712 (+11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $77,150 | $85,215 (−12.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.