City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 9.2% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $109,200 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $771 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Davenport, IA to Madison, WI ($108,137 → $106,437), while prices change by +9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.9% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,214 in Madison | $91,563 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$771/yr.
42 Weak offer
Madison, WI → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$771/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Madison, WI | Real change, Davenport → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $61,722 | −9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $74,678 | −9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $89,508 | −9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $106,437 | −9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $125,776 | −9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $63,690 | $58,317 (−5.4%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $130,630 | $119,609 (+3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $81,130 | $74,285 (−4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $101,190 | $92,653 (+20.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.