Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Laramie?

Laramie, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $890 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Davenport, IA's $960, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $29,000 in Laramie.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Laramie?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Laramie under Wyoming's (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax).

Davenport vs Laramie Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Laramie

Wyoming

$890/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $890 in Laramie, WY. Overall, Laramie, WY is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Davenport, IA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $52,414 in Laramie, WY — about 19% higher in Davenport, IA. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Laramie, WY

Rent

Studio

$726

$667

+8% in Davenport, IA

1 Bedroom

$777

$728

+6% in Davenport, IA

2 Bedroom

$962

$883

+8% in Davenport, IA

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,423

+27% in Laramie, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$302,200

+86% in Laramie, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$52,414

+19% in Davenport, IA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

—

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

26.9 yr

+10.9 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

44.1%

+18.9 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

55.8%

+25.8 pp in Laramie, WY

Avg Commute

18.7 min

13.5 min

+5.2 min in Davenport, IA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

129.6

+78% in Davenport, IA

Property Crime

3,559.6

1,175.9

+67% 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

41.0°F

+8.3°F in Davenport, IA

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

10.9 in

+25.1 in in Davenport, IA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$4.27/gal

+11% in Laramie, WY

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

15.2

+4% in Davenport, IA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$18.28

+18% in Davenport, IA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Laramie, WY

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Laramie, WY

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Davenport, IA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Laramie, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Davenport, IA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Laramie, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IA / WY)

+2.0 pp in IA

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

None

+3.8 pp in IA

Davenport vs Laramie — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Laramie?: Laramie, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $890 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Davenport, IA's $960, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Laramie?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $29,000 in Laramie.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Laramie?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Laramie under Wyoming's (no state income tax and a 4% 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).