Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Hattiesburg?

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

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

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 Hattiesburg.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Hattiesburg?

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

Davenport vs Hattiesburg Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Hattiesburg

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 Hattiesburg, MS. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Hattiesburg, MS, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $44,140 in Hattiesburg, MS — about 32% 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

Hattiesburg, MS

Rent

Studio

$726

$630

+13% in Davenport, IA

1 Bedroom

$777

$841

+8% in Hattiesburg, MS

2 Bedroom

$962

$980

+2% in Hattiesburg, MS

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,195

+7% in Hattiesburg, MS

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$153,600

+6% in Davenport, IA

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$44,140

+32% in Davenport, IA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$37,750

+22% in Davenport, IA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

28.7 yr

+9.1 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

36.5%

+26.5 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

35.0%

+5.0 pp in Hattiesburg, MS

Avg Commute

18.7 min

17.0 min

+1.7 min in Davenport, IA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

221.5

+62% in Davenport, IA

Property Crime

3,559.6

3,475.7

+2% 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

66.1°F

+16.8°F in Hattiesburg, MS

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

59.2 in

+23.1 in in Hattiesburg, 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 Hattiesburg, 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 Hattiesburg, 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 Hattiesburg — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Hattiesburg?: Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Hattiesburg, MS's $1,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Hattiesburg?: 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 Hattiesburg.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Hattiesburg?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Hattiesburg 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).