Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Gulfport?

Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Gulfport, MS's $1,030, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $34,000 in Gulfport.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Gulfport?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Gulfport under Mississippi's (a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% state sales tax).

Davenport vs Gulfport Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Gulfport

Mississippi

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,030 in Gulfport, MS. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Gulfport, MS, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $46,044 in Gulfport, MS — about 29% higher in Davenport, IA. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Mississippi has a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Gulfport, MS

Rent

Studio

$726

$958

+32% in Gulfport, MS

1 Bedroom

$777

$849

+9% in Gulfport, MS

2 Bedroom

$962

$990

+3% in Gulfport, MS

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,171

+5% in Gulfport, MS

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$167,100

+3% in Gulfport, MS

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$46,044

+29% in Davenport, IA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$43,470

+10% in Davenport, IA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

36.7 yr

+1.1 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

53.1%

+9.9 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

22.3%

+7.7 pp in Davenport, IA

Avg Commute

18.7 min

21.8 min

+3.1 min in Gulfport, MS

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

623.5

+7% in Gulfport, MS

Property Crime

3,559.6

3,881.3

+9% in Gulfport, MS

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

67.6°F

+18.3°F in Gulfport, MS

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

64.7 in

+28.7 in in Gulfport, MS

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.62/gal

+6% in Davenport, IA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

14.9

+7% in Davenport, IA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$29.04

+31% in Gulfport, MS

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 Gulfport, MS

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 / MS)

+1.0 pp in MS

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

4.00%

+0.2 pp in MS

Davenport vs Gulfport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Gulfport?: Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Gulfport, MS's $1,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Gulfport?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $34,000 in Gulfport.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Gulfport?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Gulfport under Mississippi's (a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% 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).