City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 15.3% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $115,300 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $777 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.1% moving from Davenport, IA to Hartford, CT ($108,137 → $120,094), while prices change by +15.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,343 in Hartford | $86,698 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$777/yr.
38 Weak offer
Hartford, CT → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$777/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Hartford, CT | Real change, Davenport → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $69,642 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $84,260 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $100,992 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $120,094 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $141,915 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $79,800 | $69,185 (+12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $132,520 | $114,893 (−0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $95,940 | $83,178 (+7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $101,470 | $87,973 (+14.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.