Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Las Cruces?

Las Cruces, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Davenport, IA's $960, mainly because of natural gas costs.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $32,000 in Las Cruces.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Las Cruces?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Las Cruces under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax).

Davenport vs Las Cruces Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Las Cruces

New Mexico

$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 Las Cruces, NM. Overall, Las Cruces, NM is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Davenport, IA, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $55,176 in Las Cruces, NM — about 14% higher in Davenport, IA. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Las Cruces, NM

Rent

Studio

$726

$597

+18% in Davenport, IA

1 Bedroom

$777

$793

+2% in Las Cruces, NM

2 Bedroom

$962

$888

+8% in Davenport, IA

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,177

+5% in Las Cruces, NM

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$217,400

+33% in Las Cruces, NM

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$55,176

+14% in Davenport, IA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$42,070

+13% in Davenport, IA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

32.7 yr

+5.1 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

55.6%

+7.4 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

37.3%

+7.3 pp in Las Cruces, NM

Avg Commute

18.7 min

about equal

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

726

+25% in Las Cruces, NM

Property Crime

3,559.6

4,899.2

+38% in Las Cruces, NM

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

58.8°F

+9.5°F in Las Cruces, NM

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

—

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

15.1

+5% in Davenport, IA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$9.31

+58% in Davenport, IA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Las Cruces, NM

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Las Cruces, NM

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Davenport, IA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Las Cruces, NM

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Davenport, IA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Las Cruces, NM

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IA / NM)

4.875%

+1.1 pp in IA

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

5.90%

+2.1 pp in NM

Davenport vs Las Cruces — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Las Cruces?: Las Cruces, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Davenport, IA's $960, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Las Cruces?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $32,000 in Las Cruces.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Las Cruces?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Las Cruces under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% 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).