City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 7.5% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $107,500 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,712 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Davenport, IA to Syracuse, NY ($108,137 → $106,437), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.4% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Davenport, IA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,480 in Syracuse | $93,041 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,712/yr.
47 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,712/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Davenport → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $61,722 | −8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $74,678 | −8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $89,508 | −8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $106,437 | −8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $125,776 | −8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $78,560 | $73,093 (+18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $129,100 | $120,116 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $82,230 | $76,507 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $86,960 | $80,908 (+4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.