City comparison
Boston, MA vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 21.5% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $121,500 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,632 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boston, MA to Davenport, IA ($120,548 → $108,137), while prices change by −17.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.0% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- 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
| Boston, MA | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,278 in Davenport | $121,539 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,632/yr.
100 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.7%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,632/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Davenport, IA is in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Davenport, IA | Real change, Boston → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,708 | +9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,871 | +9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $90,937 | +9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $108,137 | +9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $127,786 | +9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $61,650 | $74,929 (−23.6%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $115,780 | $140,718 (−15.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $77,600 | $94,315 (−5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $77,150 | $93,768 (−11.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.