City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 18.1% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $118,100 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $543 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.9% moving from Boulder, CO to Davenport, IA ($118,675 → $108,137), while prices change by −15.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.6% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (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
| Boulder, CO | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,674 in Davenport | $118,100 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$543/yr.
100 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.3%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$543/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Davenport, IA is in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Davenport, IA | Real change, Boulder → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,708 | +7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,871 | +7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $90,937 | +7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $108,137 | +7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $127,786 | +7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $61,650 | $72,808 (−9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $115,780 | $136,736 (−16.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $77,600 | $91,645 (−8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $77,150 | $91,114 (−11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.