Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Huntington?

Huntington, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Davenport, IA's $960, mainly because of rent.

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

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

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Huntington?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Huntington under West Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax).

Davenport vs Huntington Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Huntington

West Virginia

$940/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $940 in Huntington, WV. Overall, Huntington, WV is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Davenport, IA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $43,146 in Huntington, WV — about 33% higher in Davenport, IA. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Huntington, WV

Rent

Studio

$726

$762

+5% in Huntington, WV

1 Bedroom

$777

$758

+2% in Davenport, IA

2 Bedroom

$962

$881

+8% in Davenport, IA

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,121

+0% in Huntington, WV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$118,800

+27% in Davenport, IA

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$43,146

+33% in Davenport, IA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$44,600

+8% in Davenport, IA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

34.9 yr

+2.9 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

52.5%

+10.5 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

34.5%

+4.5 pp in Huntington, WV

Avg Commute

18.7 min

18.6 min

+0.1 min in Davenport, IA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

800.3

+38% in Huntington, WV

Property Crime

3,559.6

3,617.9

+2% in Huntington, WV

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

55.7°F

+6.4°F in Huntington, WV

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

42.6 in

+6.6 in in Huntington, WV

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.94/gal

+2% in Huntington, WV

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

15.4

+3% in Davenport, IA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$24.68

+11% in Huntington, WV

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 Huntington, WV

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 / WV)

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

4.82%

+1.0 pp in WV

Davenport vs Huntington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Huntington?: Huntington, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Davenport, IA's $960, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Huntington?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $30,000 in Huntington.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Huntington?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Huntington under West Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% 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).