Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Denver?

Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 45% below Denver, CO's $1,760, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $63,000 in Denver.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Denver?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Denver under Colorado's (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax).

Davenport vs Denver Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Denver

Colorado

$1,760/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,760 in Denver, CO. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 45% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $91,681 in Denver, CO — about 30% higher in Denver, CO. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Denver, CO

Rent

Studio

$726

$1,497

+106% in Denver, CO

1 Bedroom

$777

$1,583

+104% in Denver, CO

2 Bedroom

$962

$1,958

+104% in Denver, CO

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$2,269

+103% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$586,700

+260% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$91,681

+42% in Denver, CO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$62,320

+28% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

35.2 yr

+2.6 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

49.1%

+13.9 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

55.6%

+25.6 pp in Denver, CO

Avg Commute

18.7 min

25.4 min

+6.7 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

999.3

+72% in Denver, CO

Property Crime

3,559.6

4,781.1

+34% in Denver, CO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

49.3°F

50.2°F

+0.9°F in Denver, CO

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

15.6 in

+20.5 in in Davenport, IA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$4.16/gal

+8% in Denver, CO

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Denver.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.75

Adult base one-way fare — — vs RTD (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

17.1

+8% in Denver, CO

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$15.05

+32% in Davenport, IA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Denver, CO

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Denver, CO

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Davenport, IA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Denver, CO

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Davenport, IA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Denver, CO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IA / CO)

2.9%

+3.1 pp in IA

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

4.40%

+0.6 pp in CO

Davenport vs Denver — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Denver?: Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 45% below Denver, CO's $1,760, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Denver?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $63,000 in Denver.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Denver?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Denver under Colorado's (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).