City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 18.8% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $118,800 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $543 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.7% moving from Davenport, IA to Denver, CO ($108,137 → $118,675), while prices change by +18.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.6% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,751 in Denver | $84,210 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$543/yr.
33 Weak offer
Denver, CO → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$543/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Denver, CO | Real change, Davenport → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $68,819 | −7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $83,265 | −7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $99,800 | −7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $118,675 | −7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $140,239 | −7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $108,280 | $136,670 | $115,090 (+6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $137,610 | $115,881 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $100,020 | $84,227 (+8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $101,130 | $85,162 (+10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.