City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 13.3% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $113,300 in Charleston, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,695 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Charleston, SC to Davenport, IA ($106,437 → $108,137), while prices change by −11.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.2% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (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
| Charleston, SC | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,230 in Davenport | $113,340 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,695/yr.
100 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,695/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Davenport, IA is in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Davenport, IA | Real change, Charleston → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,708 | +15.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,871 | +15.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,937 | +15.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,137 | +15.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,786 | +15.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $61,650 | $69,874 (+14.5%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $115,780 | $131,225 (−0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $77,600 | $87,952 (+10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $77,150 | $87,442 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.