City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 16.4% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $116,400 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Davenport, IA than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.6% moving from Davenport, IA to Olympia, WA ($108,137 → $119,630), while prices change by +16.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,380 in Olympia | $85,926 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
37 Weak offer
Olympia, WA → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Olympia, WA | Real change, Davenport → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $69,373 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $83,935 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $100,602 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $119,630 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $141,367 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $104,650 | $89,921 (+45.9%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $124,060 | $106,599 (−7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $94,470 | $81,174 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $125,020 | $107,424 (+39.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.