City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Corpus Christi, TX are 4.0% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $104,000 in Corpus Christi, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Corpus Christi, TX and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Davenport, IA than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Davenport, IA ($106,955 → $108,137), while prices change by −3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,124 in Davenport | $104,032 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
81 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Davenport, IA is in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Davenport, IA | Real change, Corpus Christi → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $62,708 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $75,871 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $90,937 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $108,137 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $127,786 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $61,650 | $64,136 (+6.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $115,780 | $120,449 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $77,600 | $80,729 (+6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $77,150 | $80,261 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.