Davenport-Moline-Rock Island → Buffalo-Cheektowaga
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Davenport-Moline-Rock Island to Buffalo-Cheektowaga is unfavorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 89.1 to 95.8 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $200/mo.
- +$11,309
- BLS median salary higher in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
- 238 to 380
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 14.8:1 to 11.8:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $5,563
- DOL infant care higher / yr in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.
Pros of Moving
- + $11K higher median salary
- + Better student-teacher ratios
Cons of Moving
- - 7% higher cost of living
- - $200/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
- - Higher violent crime rate
- - More expensive childcare
- - More environmental violations
Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP rises from 89.1 to 95.8, so the same paycheck buys less in Buffalo-Cheektowaga (ratio 1.08). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $200/mo ($2,400/yr) from $1,143 in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island to $1,343 in Buffalo-Cheektowaga.
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island still leads on 5 of 7 federal dimensions, the origin keeps the edge. Buffalo-Cheektowaga sits #189 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Davenport-Moline-Rock Island is #78/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Unfavorable. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $11,309 higher ($63,304 → $74,613). Labor-market size: 172,000 tracked jobs at origin vs 524,180 at destination.
State retirement friendliness favors staying put: Iowa scores 70 (B, #8/51) vs New York at 46 (F, #46/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.
State retirement friendliness
Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.
- Income tax
- 85
- Property tax
- 58
- Estate tax
- 50
- Healthcare
- 42
- Income tax
- 80
- Property tax
- 48
- Estate tax
- 50
- Healthcare
- 96
Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).
Salary Adjustment Calculator
Enter your current salary in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island to see what you'd need to earn in Buffalo-Cheektowaga to maintain the same purchasing power.
Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro profile · Livability rankings · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026