Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Davenport?

Charleston, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $850 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Davenport, IA's $960, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Davenport?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $27,000 a year in Charleston versus $31,000 in Davenport.

Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Davenport?

Charleston is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax); Davenport under Iowa's (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax).

Charleston vs Davenport Cost of Living 2026

Charleston

West Virginia

$850/mo est.

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $850 in Charleston, WV versus $960 in Davenport, IA. Overall, Charleston, WV is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Davenport, IA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,512 in Charleston, WV and $64,497 in Davenport, IA. West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax; Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax.

Charleston, WV

Davenport, IA

Rent

Studio

$630

$726

+15% in Davenport, IA

1 Bedroom

$668

$777

+16% in Davenport, IA

2 Bedroom

$980

$962

+2% in Charleston, WV

3 Bedroom

$1,139

$1,117

+2% in Charleston, WV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$187,300

$162,900

+13% in Charleston, WV

Income

Median Household Income

$64,512

$64,497

+0% in Charleston, WV

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$45,830

$48,550

+6% in Davenport, IA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.6 yr

37.8 yr

+4.8 yr in Charleston, WV

Homeownership

62.8%

63.0%

+0.2 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

44.1%

30.0%

+14.1 pp in Charleston, WV

Avg Commute

17.9 min

18.7 min

+0.8 min in Davenport, IA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

542.7

581.4

+7% in Davenport, IA

Property Crime

3,148

3,559.6

+13% 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

55.7°F

49.3°F

+6.4°F in Charleston, WV

Annual Precipitation

44.0 in

36.0 in

+8.0 in in Charleston, WV

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.85/gal

+2% in Charleston, WV

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.4

15.9

+3% in Davenport, IA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.68

$22.16

+10% in Charleston, WV

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 Charleston, WV

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

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WV / IA)

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

4.82%

3.80%

+1.0 pp in WV

Charleston vs Davenport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Davenport?: Charleston, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $850 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Davenport, IA's $960, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Davenport?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $27,000 a year in Charleston versus $31,000 in Davenport.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Davenport?: Charleston is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% 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).