City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 5.0% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $105,000 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Scranton, PA and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,148 a year in IA and $3,070 in PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Davenport, IA to Scranton, PA ($108,137 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.3% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: 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 | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,026 in Scranton | $95,215 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$78/yr.
54 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$78/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Scranton, PA | Real change, Davenport → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $61,722 | −6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $74,678 | −6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $89,508 | −6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $106,437 | −6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $125,776 | −6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $76,590 | $72,925 (+18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $119,960 | $114,219 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $70,480 | $67,107 (−13.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $82,650 | $78,695 (+2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.