City comparison
Davenport, IA vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Davenport, IA are 3.7% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $103,700 in Davenport, IA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $928 a month in Davenport, IA versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Davenport, IA and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Davenport, IA than in McAllen, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Davenport, IA to McAllen, TX ($108,137 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,426 in McAllen | $103,707 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $847/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
80 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Davenport, IA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; McAllen, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | McAllen, TX | Real change, Davenport → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $61,722 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $74,678 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $89,508 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $106,437 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $125,776 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $63,110 | $65,449 (+6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $116,120 | $120,424 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $64,470 | $66,860 (−13.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $80,540 | $83,525 (+8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.