Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Salem?

Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Salem, OR's $1,170, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $40,000 in Salem.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Salem?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Davenport vs Salem Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Salem

Oregon

$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 Salem, OR. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 18% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salem, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 10% higher in Salem, OR. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Salem, OR

Rent

Studio

$726

$1,075

+48% in Salem, OR

1 Bedroom

$777

$989

+27% in Salem, OR

2 Bedroom

$962

$1,337

+39% in Salem, OR

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,778

+59% in Salem, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$382,400

+135% in Salem, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$71,900

+11% in Salem, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$55,310

+14% in Salem, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

35.7 yr

+2.1 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

55.7%

+7.3 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

31.4%

+1.4 pp in Salem, OR

Avg Commute

18.7 min

22.4 min

+3.7 min in Salem, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

540.6

+7% in Davenport, IA

Property Crime

3,559.6

2,878.6

+19% 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

53.0°F

+3.7°F in Salem, OR

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

39.7 in

+3.6 in in Salem, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$5.21/gal

+35% in Salem, OR

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

16.3

+2% in Salem, OR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$21.60

+3% in Davenport, IA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Salem, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Salem, OR

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Davenport, IA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Salem, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Davenport, IA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Salem, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IA / OR)

None

+6.0 pp in IA

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

9.90%

+6.1 pp in OR

Davenport vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Salem?: Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Salem, OR's $1,170, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Salem?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Salem?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no 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).