Davenport vs Des Moines
Compare Davenport, IA and Des Moines, IA on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Davenport is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $875/mo versus $1,063/mo in Des Moines — a gap of about $188/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $953/mo against $1,080/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (243 vs 239 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Climate is a real differentiator: Davenport runs summer highs near 84°F and winter lows near 4°F, while Des Moines runs 86°F and 14°F. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Davenport; if walkable daily life matters more, Davenport screens stronger on the walkability proxy (10 vs 9). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Davenport leads 68 to 63 on the cost and climate screen.
Both cities are close on the work screen.
Davenport leads 45 to 39 on the daily life screen.
Des Moines leads 60 to 53 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Davenport is roughly $34,000 in Des Moines using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Davenport | Des Moines | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $875/mo | $1,063/mo | Davenport |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $953/mo | $1,080/mo | Davenport |
| Median home value | $162,000 | $236,000 | Davenport |
| State income tax | 3.8% | 3.8% | Tie |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 22.4 min | Davenport |
| Safety score | 64/100 | 62/100 | Davenport |
| School score | 5/10 | 8/10 | Des Moines |
| Walkability estimate | 10/100 | 9/100 | Davenport |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 6/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 193.2 | 175.0 | Davenport |
| Mountain distance | 187 mi | 222 mi | Davenport |
| Coast distance | 732 mi | 801 mi | Davenport |
What stands out
Davenport stronger signals
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 10 miles
- More affordable than many peer metros
Davenport tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Cold winters
Des Moines stronger signals
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 35 miles
- Strong education proxy
- More affordable than many peer metros
Des Moines tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Cold winters
Common questions
Is Davenport cheaper than Des Moines?
On public benchmarks Davenport is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $875/mo in Davenport vs $1,063/mo in Des Moines; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $953/mo vs $1,080/mo; state income tax is 3.8% vs 3.8%.
Is Davenport or Des Moines safer?
Davenport screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 64/100 for Davenport and 62/100 for Des Moines (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Davenport or Des Moines?
School screens show 5/10 for Davenport vs 8/10 for Des Moines, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Davenport and Des Moines?
Davenport: summer highs near 84°F, winter lows near 4°F, disaster-risk band 3/3. Des Moines: 86°F / 14°F, disaster-risk band 3/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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