Davenport vs Iowa City
Compare Davenport, IA and Iowa City, 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 $1,057/mo in Iowa City — a gap of about $182/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $953/mo against $1,082/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (243 vs 246 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 84°F and 85°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Davenport; if walkable daily life matters more, Iowa City screens stronger on the walkability proxy (24 vs 10). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Davenport leads 68 to 57 on the cost and climate screen.
Both cities are close on the work screen.
Both cities are close on the daily life screen.
Iowa City leads 65 to 53 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Davenport is roughly $28,333 in Iowa City using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Davenport | Iowa City | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $875/mo | $1,057/mo | Davenport |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $953/mo | $1,082/mo | Davenport |
| Median home value | $162,000 | $266,000 | Davenport |
| State income tax | 3.8% | 3.8% | Tie |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 21.7 min | Iowa City |
| Safety score | 64/100 | 64/100 | Tie |
| School score | 5/10 | 9/10 | Iowa City |
| Walkability estimate | 10/100 | 24/100 | Iowa City |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 6/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 193.2 | 206.9 | Iowa City |
| Mountain distance | 187 mi | 207 mi | Davenport |
| Coast distance | 732 mi | 780 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
Iowa City stronger signals
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 48 miles
- Strong education proxy
- Shorter average commute
Iowa City tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Cold winters
Common questions
Is Davenport cheaper than Iowa City?
On public benchmarks Davenport is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $875/mo in Davenport vs $1,057/mo in Iowa City; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $953/mo vs $1,082/mo; state income tax is 3.8% vs 3.8%.
Is Davenport or Iowa City safer?
Davenport screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 64/100 for Davenport and 64/100 for Iowa City (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Davenport or Iowa City?
School screens show 5/10 for Davenport vs 9/10 for Iowa City, 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 Iowa City?
Davenport: summer highs near 84°F, winter lows near 4°F, disaster-risk band 3/3. Iowa City: 85°F / 3°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.
Start City Match