City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Myrtle Beach, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Myrtle Beach, SC are 5.1% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $105,100 in Myrtle Beach, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,229 a month in Myrtle Beach, SC versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Myrtle Beach, SC and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,695 a year higher in Myrtle Beach, SC than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Davenport, IA to Myrtle Beach, SC ($108,137 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.4% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Myrtle Beach, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,122 in Myrtle Beach | $95,127 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,229/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $37,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 83.1 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 88.0 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Myrtle Beach, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,695/yr.
54 Fair offer
Myrtle Beach, SC → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,695/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Myrtle Beach, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Myrtle Beach, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Myrtle Beach, SC | Real change, Davenport → Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $61,722 | −6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $74,678 | −6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $89,508 | −6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $106,437 | −6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $125,776 | −6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | not published | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $74,520 | $70,889 (−8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $80,640 | $76,711 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.