City comparison
Davenport, IA vs San Francisco, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Francisco, CA are 29.8% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $129,800 in San Francisco, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,977 a month in San Francisco, CA versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 48% of take-home pay in San Francisco, CA and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,922 a year higher in San Francisco, CA than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +23.0% moving from Davenport, IA to San Francisco, CA ($108,137 → $133,060), while prices change by +29.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- San Francisco, CA: price level 115.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | San Francisco, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 115.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $129,787 in San Francisco | $77,049 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $2,977/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 48% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $74,260 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 194.7 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 108.5 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 172.6 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 106.2 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 115.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → San Francisco, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −23.0%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$1,922/yr.
3 Weak offer
San Francisco, CA → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +29.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,922/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; San Francisco, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to San Francisco, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | San Francisco, CA | Real change, Davenport → San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $77,161 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $93,358 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $111,896 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $133,060 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $157,236 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $101,860 | $78,482 (+27.3%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $186,640 | $143,805 (+24.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $110,730 | $85,317 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $186,610 | $143,782 (+86.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.