Living Cost Compare
Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

vs
New Orleans

Louisiana

$1,170/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 18% cheaper to live in day-to-day than New Orleans, LA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 14% higher in Davenport, IA. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
$726
$953
+31% in New Orleans, LA
1 Bedroom
$777
$1,019
+31% in New Orleans, LA
2 Bedroom
$962
$1,287
+34% in New Orleans, LA
3 Bedroom
$1,117
$1,392
+25% in New Orleans, LA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$162,900
$296,400
+82% in New Orleans, LA

Income

Median Household Income
$64,497
$55,339
+14% in Davenport, IA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,550
$47,290
+3% in Davenport, IA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.8 yr
38.4 yr
+0.6 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
63.0%
50.5%
+12.5 pp in Davenport, IA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
42.0%
+12.0 pp in New Orleans, LA
Avg Commute
18.7 min
22.7 min
+4.0 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
581.4
1,361.1
+134% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
3,559.6
5,089.6
+43% in New Orleans, LA

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
70.6°F
+21.3°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
36.0 in
62.3 in
+26.3 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.62/gal
+6% in Davenport, IA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.25

Adult base one-way fare — — vs New Orleans RTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
13.5
+15% in Davenport, IA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.16
$16.62
+25% in Davenport, IA

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 New Orleans, LA
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
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IA / LA)
6%
5%
+1.0 pp in IA
Income Tax (top rate)
3.80%
3.00%
+0.8 pp in IA

Davenport vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or New Orleans?
Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below New Orleans, LA's $1,170, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in New Orleans?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or New Orleans?
Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); New Orleans under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% 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).