City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 7.8% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $107,800 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,632 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.1% moving from Davenport, IA to Springfield, MA ($108,137 → $120,094), while prices change by +7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,838 in Springfield | $92,732 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,632/yr.
46 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,632/yr.
93 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Davenport → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $69,642 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $84,260 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $100,992 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $120,094 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $141,915 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $108,280 | $128,910 | $119,540 (+10.4%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $127,740 | $118,455 (+2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $92,010 | $85,322 (+10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $98,410 | $91,257 (+18.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.