Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Fort Worth?

Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,390, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $48,000 in Fort Worth.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Fort Worth?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Fort Worth under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Davenport vs Fort Worth Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Fort Worth

Texas

$1,390/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,390 in Fort Worth, TX. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 31% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fort Worth, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $76,602 in Fort Worth, TX — about 16% higher in Fort Worth, TX. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Fort Worth, TX

Rent

Studio

$726

$1,310

+80% in Fort Worth, TX

1 Bedroom

$777

$1,191

+53% in Fort Worth, TX

2 Bedroom

$962

$1,393

+45% in Fort Worth, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,721

+54% in Fort Worth, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$277,300

+70% in Fort Worth, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$76,602

+19% in Fort Worth, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$51,440

+6% in Fort Worth, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

33.4 yr

+4.4 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

56.7%

+6.3 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

31.7%

+1.7 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Avg Commute

18.7 min

26.9 min

+8.2 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

465.2

+20% in Davenport, IA

Property Crime

3,559.6

2,735.7

+23% 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

49.3°F

65.7°F

+16.4°F in Fort Worth, TX

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

36.1 in

+0.1 in in Fort Worth, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.58/gal

+7% in Davenport, IA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

about equal

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$31.89

+44% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Davenport, IA

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.75

+5% in Fort Worth, TX

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.21

+39% in Davenport, IA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.45

+5% in Davenport, IA

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$1.90

+9% in Davenport, IA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IA / TX)

6.25%

+0.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

None

+3.8 pp in IA

Davenport vs Fort Worth — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Fort Worth?: Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,390, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Fort Worth?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $48,000 in Fort Worth.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Fort Worth?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Fort Worth under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).