City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 14.9% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $114,900 in Cape Coral, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Davenport, IA than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Davenport, IA ($106,437 → $108,137), while prices change by −13.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.7% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- 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
| Cape Coral, FL | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,035 in Davenport | $114,897 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
100 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL 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 Cape Coral, FL to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Davenport, IA | Real change, Cape Coral → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,708 | +16.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,871 | +16.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,937 | +16.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,137 | +16.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,786 | +16.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $61,650 | $70,834 (+17.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $115,780 | $133,028 (+4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $77,600 | $89,160 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $77,150 | $88,643 (+7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.