City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 16.4% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $116,400 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,772 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.1% moving from Davenport, IA to Salem, OR ($108,137 → $114,684), while prices change by +16.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.9% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,356 in Salem | $85,943 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,772/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,772/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Salem, OR | Real change, Davenport → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $66,505 | −8.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $80,465 | −8.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $96,443 | −8.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $114,684 | −8.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $135,522 | −8.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $74,810 | $64,294 (+4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $131,620 | $113,118 (−2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $87,480 | $75,183 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $131,750 | $113,230 (+46.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.