City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kansas City, MO are 3.9% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $103,900 in Kansas City, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $614 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.0% moving from Davenport, IA to Kansas City, MO ($108,137 → $108,173), while prices change by +3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,889 in Kansas City | $96,257 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Kansas City, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$614/yr.
57 Fair offer
Kansas City, MO → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$614/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Davenport → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $62,729 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $75,897 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $90,968 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $108,173 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $127,829 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $61,060 | $58,774 (−4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $124,990 | $120,311 (+3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $80,040 | $77,044 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $83,040 | $79,932 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.