City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 13.2% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $113,200 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $386 a year higher in Salt Lake City, UT than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Davenport, IA to Salt Lake City, UT ($108,137 → $106,437), while prices change by +13.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.1% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,234 in Salt Lake City | $88,312 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$386/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$386/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Salt Lake City, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Davenport → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $61,722 | −13.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $74,678 | −13.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $89,508 | −13.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $106,437 | −13.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $125,776 | −13.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $77,920 | $68,813 (+11.6%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $129,600 | $114,453 (−1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $82,100 | $72,505 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $85,890 | $75,852 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.