City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 19.7% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $119,700 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,922 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.1% moving from Davenport, IA to Sacramento, CA ($108,137 → $117,984), while prices change by +19.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.9% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,748 in Sacramento | $83,509 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,922/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,922/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Davenport → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $68,419 | −8.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $82,780 | −8.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $99,218 | −8.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $117,984 | −8.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $139,422 | −8.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $103,390 | $86,340 (+40.0%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $139,640 | $116,612 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $92,110 | $76,920 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $171,460 | $143,184 (+85.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.