City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 12.3% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $112,300 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,419 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from Atlanta, GA to Davenport, IA ($112,556 → $108,137), while prices change by −11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,027 in Davenport | $112,325 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,419/yr.
100 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,419/yr.
35 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Davenport, IA is in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Davenport, IA | Real change, Atlanta → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $62,708 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $75,871 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $90,937 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $108,137 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $127,786 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $61,650 | $69,248 (−9.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $115,780 | $130,050 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $77,600 | $87,164 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $77,150 | $86,659 (−13.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.