Davenport, IA vs St. Joseph, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

St. Joseph, MO has a modeled overall cost index 6.9% lower than Davenport, IA.

Davenport, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,160 / month
St. Joseph, MO · modeled 2BR rent: $1,100 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Davenport, IA and St. Joseph, MO using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Davenport, IA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $524/month in St. Joseph, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $143,717 in St. Joseph, MO

Regional cost estimates: Davenport, IA uses Madison, WI. St. Joseph, MO uses Kansas City, MO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 6.9%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$524

Savings

Annual Impact

$6.3K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Davenport, IA

Population:100K

Cost Index:

93.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$169K

St. Joseph, MO

Population:71K

Cost Index:

86.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$161K

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Davenport, IA

The Hawkeye State

100K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 100K residents.

St. Joseph, MO

The Show-Me State

71K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Missouri, this city has a population of 71K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Davenport, IA vs St. Joseph, MO

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Davenport, IA	St. Joseph, MO	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,325/mo	$1,930/mo	↓ $395less	17.0%
Healthcare	$716/mo	$630/mo	↓ $85.45less	11.9%
Transportation	$1,319/mo	$1,238/mo	↓ $80.79less	6.1%
All Utilities	$506/mo	$556/mo	↑ $49.76more	9.8%
Other	$1,680/mo	$1,637/mo	↓ $42.42less	2.5%
Groceries	$955/mo	$985/mo	↑ $30.05more	3.1%

Housing

↓ 17.0%

Davenport, IA

$2,325

St. Joseph, MO

$1,930

Difference

$395

less

Healthcare

↓ 11.9%

Davenport, IA

$716

St. Joseph, MO

$630

Difference

$85.45

less

Transportation

↓ 6.1%

Davenport, IA

$1,319

St. Joseph, MO

$1,238

Difference

$80.79

less

All Utilities

↑ 9.8%

Davenport, IA

$506

St. Joseph, MO

$556

Difference

$49.76

Other

↓ 2.5%

Davenport, IA

$1,680

St. Joseph, MO

$1,637

Difference

$42.42

less

Groceries

↑ 3.1%

Davenport, IA

$955

St. Joseph, MO

$985

Difference

$30.05

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$830

To$790

↓ $40.00

1 Bed

From$940

To$850

↓ $90.00

2 Bed

From$1,160

To$1,100

↓ $60.00

3 Bed

From$1,520

To$1,390

↓ $130

Davenport, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $900–$980/mo

St. Joseph, MOZIP-level data

1BR range: $800–$900/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Davenport, IA

$6,976

Monthly in St. Joseph, MO

$524

Difference

Home Values

Davenport

St. Joseph

$169K

Median Value

$161K

↑ +2.3%

YoY Change

↑ +6.7%

↑ +23.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +37.2%

$102K - $342K

Price Range

$119K - $266K

Homes in St. Joseph are 5% less expensive than Davenport

Calculate payment - Davenport Calculate payment - St. Joseph

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $2.8K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$231

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.8%

Rate difference

Davenport, IA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Iowa State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.7K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.7K

Take-Home Pay

$8,524/month

$102.3K

St. Joseph, MO

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Missouri State Tax

Effective: 5.3%

$7.9K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.0%

$44.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,755/month

$105.1K

Additional Tax Information

Davenport, IA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:1.5%

St. Joseph, MO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%

Property Tax:1.0%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Davenport

St. Joseph

42 Good

Air Quality

46 Good

72.1%

Good Air Days

59.3%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

44 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

44 days

Before moving from Davenport, IA to St. Joseph, MO

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in St. Joseph, MO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Davenport, IA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Davenport to St. Joseph moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to St. Joseph, MO by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Davenport, IA vs St. Joseph, MO

How do the cost estimates for Davenport, IA and St. Joseph, MO compare?

St. Joseph, MO has a modeled overall cost index 6.9% lower than Davenport, IA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Davenport, IA, the model estimates $143,717 in St. Joseph, MO. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Davenport, IA and St. Joseph, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,160/month in Davenport, IA and $1,100/month in St. Joseph, MO. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Iowa and Missouri on TaxTakeHome.com