City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 7.2% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $107,200 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,181 a year higher in Davenport, IA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.6% moving from Columbus, OH to Davenport, IA ($111,065 → $108,137), while prices change by −6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Columbus, OH | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,307 in Davenport | $107,173 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,181/yr.
91 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,181/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Davenport, IA is in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Davenport, IA | Real change, Columbus → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,708 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,871 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $90,937 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $108,137 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $127,786 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $61,650 | $66,072 (−15.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $115,780 | $124,085 (+1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $77,600 | $83,167 (+1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $77,150 | $82,684 (−1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.