Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Raleigh?

Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 36% below Raleigh, NC's $1,510, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $53,000 in Raleigh.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Raleigh?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax).

Davenport vs Raleigh Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,510/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,510 in Raleigh, NC. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 36% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Raleigh, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $82,424 in Raleigh, NC — about 22% higher in Raleigh, NC. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Raleigh, NC

Rent

Studio

$726

$1,301

+79% in Raleigh, NC

1 Bedroom

$777

$1,323

+70% in Raleigh, NC

2 Bedroom

$962

$1,462

+52% in Raleigh, NC

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,715

+54% in Raleigh, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$377,800

+132% in Raleigh, NC

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$82,424

+28% in Raleigh, NC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$51,990

+7% in Raleigh, NC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

34.7 yr

+3.1 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

51.2%

+11.8 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

52.9%

+22.9 pp in Raleigh, NC

Avg Commute

18.7 min

23.4 min

+4.7 min in Raleigh, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

491.5

+15% in Davenport, IA

Property Crime

3,559.6

2,838.4

+20% 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

60.6°F

+11.3°F in Raleigh, NC

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

46.0 in

+10.0 in in Raleigh, NC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.94/gal

+2% in Raleigh, NC

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$1.25

Adult base one-way fare — — vs GoRaleigh (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

14.7

+7% in Davenport, IA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$30.10

+36% in Raleigh, NC

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 Raleigh, NC

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 / NC)

4.75%

+1.3 pp in IA

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

3.99%

+0.2 pp in NC

Davenport vs Raleigh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Raleigh?: Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 36% below Raleigh, NC's $1,510, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Raleigh?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $53,000 in Raleigh.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Raleigh?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).