City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 9.9% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $109,900 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,788 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.1% moving from Davenport, IA to Virginia Beach, VA ($108,137 → $108,019), while prices change by +9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.1% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,948 in Virginia Beach | $90,952 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,788/yr.
40 Weak offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,788/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Davenport → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $62,640 | −9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $75,788 | −9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $90,838 | −9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $108,019 | −9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $127,646 | −9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $63,380 | $57,645 (−6.5%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $129,090 | $117,410 (+1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $79,450 | $72,261 (−6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $89,450 | $81,356 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.