Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Hartford?

Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 26% below Hartford, CT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $42,000 in Hartford.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Hartford?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Hartford under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax).

Davenport vs Hartford Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Hartford

Connecticut

$1,300/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,300 in Hartford, CT. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 26% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Hartford, CT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $45,300 in Hartford, CT — about 30% higher in Davenport, IA. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Connecticut has a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Hartford, CT

Rent

Studio

$726

$973

+34% in Hartford, CT

1 Bedroom

$777

$1,042

+34% in Hartford, CT

2 Bedroom

$962

$1,296

+35% in Hartford, CT

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,433

+28% in Hartford, CT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$217,200

+33% in Hartford, CT

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$45,300

+30% in Davenport, IA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$59,940

+23% in Hartford, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

33.4 yr

+4.4 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

25.7%

+37.3 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

18.3%

+11.7 pp in Davenport, IA

Avg Commute

18.7 min

22.8 min

+4.1 min in Hartford, CT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

527.5

+9% in Davenport, IA

Property Crime

3,559.6

2,949.2

+17% 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

51.2°F

+1.9°F in Hartford, CT

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

43.6 in

+7.6 in in Hartford, CT

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.94/gal

+2% in Hartford, CT

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

24.3

+53% in Hartford, CT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$23.33

+5% in Hartford, CT

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.92

+16% in Hartford, CT

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Davenport, IA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.90

+2% in Hartford, CT

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.19

+4% in Hartford, CT

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Hartford, CT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IA / CT)

6.35%

+0.3 pp in CT

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

6.99%

+3.2 pp in CT

Davenport vs Hartford — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Hartford?: Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 26% below Hartford, CT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Hartford?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $42,000 in Hartford.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Hartford?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Hartford under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% 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).