City comparison
Davenport, IA vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 26.4% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $126,400 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,712 a year higher in New York, NY than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.0% moving from Davenport, IA to New York, NY ($108,137 → $125,431), while prices change by +26.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.2% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $126,363 in New York | $79,137 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $2,655/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −20.9%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$1,712/yr.
11 Weak offer
New York, NY → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +26.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,712/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | New York, NY | Real change, Davenport → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $72,737 | −8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $88,005 | −8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $105,481 | −8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $125,431 | −8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $148,222 | −8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | New York, NY | New York pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $96,900 | $76,684 (+24.4%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $166,830 | $132,024 (+14.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $105,650 | $83,608 (+7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $119,720 | $94,743 (+22.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.