Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $960 in Davenport, IA. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 30% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $64,497 in Davenport, IA — about 12% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Davenport, IA

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$726
+33% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$777
+34% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$962
+32% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,117
+39% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$162,900
+41% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$64,497
+12% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$48,550
+6% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
37.8 yr
+4.2 yr in Davenport, IA
Homeownership
54.8%
63.0%
+8.2 pp in Davenport, IA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
30.0%
+3.1 pp in Arlington, TX
Avg Commute
26.7 min
18.7 min
+8.0 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
581.4
+18% in Davenport, IA
Property Crime
2,434.5
3,559.6
+46% in Davenport, IA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
49.3°F
+16.1°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
36.0 in
+3.6 in in Arlington, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.85/gal
+8% in Davenport, IA

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
15.9
about equal
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$22.16
+31% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Davenport, IA
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Arlington, TX
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Davenport, IA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Davenport, IA
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Davenport, IA
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / IA)
6.25%
6%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.80%
+3.8 pp in IA

Arlington vs Davenport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Davenport?
Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Davenport?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $31,000 in Davenport.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Davenport?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Davenport under Iowa's (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).