Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Rutland?

Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Rutland, VT's $1,120, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $34,000 in Rutland.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Rutland?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Rutland under Vermont's (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax).

Davenport vs Rutland Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Rutland

Vermont

$1,120/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,120 in Rutland, VT. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Rutland, VT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $55,000 in Rutland, VT — about 15% higher in Davenport, IA. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Rutland, VT

Rent

Studio

$726

$893

+23% in Rutland, VT

1 Bedroom

$777

$856

+10% in Rutland, VT

2 Bedroom

$962

$1,097

+14% in Rutland, VT

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,207

+8% in Rutland, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$176,400

+8% in Rutland, VT

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$55,000

+15% in Davenport, IA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

—

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

48.5 yr

+10.7 yr in Rutland, VT

Homeownership

63.0%

52.7%

+10.3 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

32.2%

+2.2 pp in Rutland, VT

Avg Commute

18.7 min

14.7 min

+4.0 min in Davenport, IA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

487.8

+16% in Davenport, IA

Property Crime

3,559.6

3,973.3

+12% in Rutland, VT

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

44.6°F

+4.7°F in Davenport, IA

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

40.5 in

+4.4 in in Rutland, VT

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.94/gal

+2% in Rutland, VT

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

24.4

+53% in Rutland, VT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$26.07

+18% in Rutland, VT

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.92

+16% in Rutland, VT

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Davenport, IA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.90

+2% in Rutland, VT

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.19

+4% in Rutland, VT

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Rutland, VT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IA / VT)

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

8.75%

+5.0 pp in VT

Davenport vs Rutland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Rutland?: Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Rutland, VT's $1,120, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Rutland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $34,000 in Rutland.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Rutland?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Rutland under Vermont's (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% 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).