Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Davenport, IA
🏆 Cambridge leads 13 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,962 ✓ Larger
Davenport
Iowa
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,890
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High
Population
101,448
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $61,649 more per year on average
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
25% less violent crime than Davenport
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (3.3%)
Milder winters — January highs near 37°F vs 31°F
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $997,600
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Davenport
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Davenport, IA
Pros
Homes cost $843k less ($155,100 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1738/mo less ($890 vs $2,628)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.3)
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $61,649/yr
Violent crime (581.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3540.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.0% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$61,649
$121,539 vs $59,890/yr
Cambridge
Violent Crime
25% lower
436.7 vs 581.4 per 100k
Cambridge
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
3.3% vs 5.0% unemployment
Davenport
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 89.3 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Davenport
Median Home Value
$843k less
$155,100 vs $997,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Davenport, IA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 89.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $155,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $890 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $59,890 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer | 159⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 28.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 92.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Davenport Comm School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F ✓ Warmer | 31.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F ✓ Warmer | 83.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 38.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 36.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 ✓ Larger | 101,448 |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 37.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 62.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 21.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Davenport's 89.3 (US average = 100).
Davenport is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cambridge leads 13 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 13 and Davenport wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Cambridge to Davenport or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $155,100 median home), income ($121,539 vs $59,890), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Davenport, IA are about 1,000 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.