City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Davenport, IA are 3.6% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $103,600 in Davenport, IA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $928 a month in Davenport, IA versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Davenport, IA and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Davenport, IA than in Brownsville, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Brownsville, TX to Davenport, IA ($106,437 → $108,137), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (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
| Brownsville, TX | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,610 in Davenport | $96,515 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Davenport, IA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
58 Fair offer
Davenport, IA → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Brownsville, TX 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 Brownsville, TX to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Davenport, IA | Real change, Brownsville → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,708 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,871 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,937 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,137 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,786 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $61,650 | $59,502 (−6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $115,780 | $111,746 (+4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $77,600 | $74,896 (+12.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $77,150 | $74,462 (−8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.