City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 14.3% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $114,300 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,506 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Davenport, IA to Portland, ME ($108,137 → $120,548), while prices change by +14.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,346 in Portland | $87,454 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,506/yr.
34 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,506/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Portland, ME | Real change, Davenport → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $69,905 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $84,579 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $101,375 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $120,548 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $142,452 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $76,770 | $67,139 (+8.9%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $128,710 | $112,562 (−2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $79,790 | $69,780 (−10.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $88,470 | $77,371 (+0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.