City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Davenport, IA (89.1) and Little Rock, AR (89.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Davenport, IA goes as far as $100,300 in Little Rock, AR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $989 a month in Little Rock, AR versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Little Rock, AR and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $539 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Davenport, IA to Little Rock, AR ($108,137 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,320 in Little Rock | $99,681 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Little Rock, AR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$539/yr.
68 Fair offer
Little Rock, AR → Davenport, IA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$539/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Davenport → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $58,580 | $58,393 (−5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $104,070 | $103,738 (−10.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $65,810 | $65,600 (−15.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $81,070 | $80,811 (+4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.