Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Jackson?

Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Jackson, MS's $1,000, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $33,000 in Jackson.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Jackson?

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

Davenport vs Jackson Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Jackson

Mississippi

$1,000/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,000 in Jackson, MS. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jackson, MS, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $43,238 in Jackson, MS — about 33% 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

Jackson, MS

Rent

Studio

$726

$1,085

+49% in Jackson, MS

1 Bedroom

$777

$816

+5% in Jackson, MS

2 Bedroom

$962

$991

+3% in Jackson, MS

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,121

+0% in Jackson, MS

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$108,200

+34% in Davenport, IA

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$43,238

+33% in Davenport, IA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$42,850

+12% in Davenport, IA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

34.7 yr

+3.1 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

48.6%

+14.4 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

28.6%

+1.4 pp in Davenport, IA

Avg Commute

18.7 min

20.2 min

+1.5 min in Jackson, MS

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

—

Property Crime

3,559.6

—

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

65.3°F

+16.0°F in Jackson, MS

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

54.3 in

+18.3 in in Jackson, 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 Jackson, 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 Jackson, 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 Jackson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Jackson?: Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Jackson, MS's $1,000, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Jackson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $33,000 in Jackson.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Jackson?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Jackson 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).