City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 28.2% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $128,200 in Miami, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,995 a month in Miami, FL versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, 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 Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.8% moving from Davenport, IA to Miami, FL ($108,137 → $113,356), while prices change by +28.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −18.2% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $128,150 in Miami | $78,033 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −22.0%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +28.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Miami, FL | Real change, Davenport → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $65,735 | −18.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $79,533 | −18.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $95,326 | −18.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $113,356 | −18.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $133,953 | −18.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $58,300 | $45,493 (−26.2%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $132,650 | $103,511 (−10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $80,920 | $63,145 (−18.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $91,380 | $71,307 (−7.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.