City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 16.3% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $116,300 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,657 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.1% moving from Chicago, IL to Davenport, IA ($118,984 → $108,137), while prices change by −14.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (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
| Chicago, IL | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,988 in Davenport | $116,296 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,657/yr.
100 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,657/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Davenport, IA is in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Davenport, IA | Real change, Chicago → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $62,708 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $75,871 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $90,937 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $108,137 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $127,786 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $61,650 | $71,696 (−8.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $115,780 | $134,647 (+0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $77,600 | $90,245 (+9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $77,150 | $89,722 (−10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.