Key Takeaways
- The typical Davenport house is a $196,244 index value: Zillow's Home Value Index as of July 31, 2026, up 3.3% over the year.
- The statewide median is a different number: Iowa REALTORS reported a $280,000 median sale price for July 2026, up 10.7%.
- The weekly Realtor tables are a listing snapshot: 180 Davenport houses on the market at $272,916 average value for August 1 to 4, 2026 (Quad City Area REALTORS, RMLS Alliance). Only seven closings is too small to read as a median.
- Davenport has no permanent floodwall: the largest city on the Mississippi without one, which is why a Zone AE parcel and a financed buyer are a difficult pairing.
- Two dates set the clock: the tax sale falls on the third Monday in June, and foreclosure redemption generally runs one year.
The Davenport housing market 2026 looks different depending on which number you check first. Zillow's index put the typical house at $196,244 as of July 31, 2026, up 3.3%, while Iowa REALTORS reported a statewide median of $280,000. Neither is what a specific seller will net.
Propcash keeps every source separate and labeled. This guide covers what each figure measures, what older housing stock does to a financed sale, and how different sellers read the same data.
The Davenport housing market 2026 in eight numbers
Eight published figures describe the Davenport housing market 2026, and no two measure the same thing: a modeled index, a four-day listing snapshot, a statewide closed-sale median, and more. Reading them side by side is useful, but averaging them describes nothing real.
| Figure | Value | Source | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport typical house value (index) | $196,244, up 3.3% | Zillow Home Value Index | July 31, 2026 |
| Iowa median sale price | $280,000, up 10.7% | Iowa REALTORS | July 2026 |
| Iowa closed sales | 3,607, up 4.2% | Iowa REALTORS | July 2026 |
| Iowa average days on market | 16 days | Iowa REALTORS | July 2026 |
| Davenport houses on the market | 180 | Quad City Area REALTORS, RMLS Alliance | Aug 1-4, 2026 |
| Average listed value, Davenport houses on the market | $272,916 | Quad City Area REALTORS, RMLS Alliance | Aug 1-4, 2026 |
| Davenport average days on market (7 closings) | 38 days | Quad City Area REALTORS, RMLS Alliance | Aug 1-4, 2026 |
| Quad Cities single-family houses sold, first quarter | 916, down 2.5% | Quad City Area REALTORS | Q1 2026 |
The Zillow row is the Zillow Home Value Index, published in Zillow's research data. The statewide figures come from the Iowa REALTORS July 2026 release, via the Corridor Business Journal. Davenport rows come from the Quad City Area REALTORS weekly table, and metro rows from the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal.
Why do Davenport house prices differ by source?
Davenport house prices differ by source because each publisher counts a different set of houses at a different point in a transaction. Blending them produces a number that describes no real house.
Zillow's figure is a modeled value, not a sale
The Zillow Home Value Index estimates a typical value across an entire geography, whether or not a house has been listed. That includes the 1920s bungalow near Vander Veer Park, unsold for fifty years, which is why the index sits well below the average listed value on the weekly Realtor table.
The weekly Quad Cities table is a listing snapshot
The Quad City Area REALTORS tables in the Quad-City Times and the Muscatine Journal come from the RMLS Alliance MLS, reporting current listings and recent closings. The August 1 to 4, 2026 table showed 180 Davenport houses at $272,916 average value, with seven closings, too small to read as a median.
The Iowa REALTORS median is a statewide closing number
The $280,000 statewide median for July 2026 counts closed sales across Iowa, including Des Moines and the fast-growing suburbs. Davenport is affordable within an affordable state, so the median runs well above the local index. The release also reported 3,607 closed sales, up 4.2%, and active inventory of 9,630 listings, up 9%.
How does Davenport compare with the rest of the Quad Cities?
Davenport carries the most listings of any Quad Cities community and sits mid-range in price, below the Iowa suburbs and above the Illinois side. The table below compares listed values, not sale prices.
- Davenport: 180 houses on the market, $272,916 average listed value.
- Bettendorf: 117 houses on the market, $468,046 average listed value.
- LeClaire and Pleasant Valley: 39 houses, $504,754 average listed value.
- Rock Island and Milan: 116 houses, $184,065 average listed value.
Bettendorf is a separate Scott County city; Rock Island and Moline sit across the river in Illinois. A Davenport seller competes mainly with other Davenport listings.
The floodwall Davenport does not have
Davenport is the largest city on the Mississippi River without a permanent floodwall or levee, while Bettendorf and Rock Island built theirs decades ago (Quad-City Times, April 30, 2023). City councils have declined a wall on cost and river-access grounds, relying on temporary barriers instead.
On April 30, 2019, a temporary HESCO barrier failed near River Drive and Pershing Avenue, flooding downtown businesses. The Mississippi at Lock and Dam 15 went on to a record crest of 22.7 feet on May 2, 2019 (National Weather Service Quad Cities).
Spring 2026 was far milder: the flood plan activated April 16, 2026, and the river crested near 16 feet, moderate flood stage, before deactivating May 1 (City of Davenport, 2026 Flood Response). Riverfront parcels sit in FEMA Zone AE or Zone A, where lenders require flood insurance, and a late or high quote can end a financed deal.
What an older Davenport house does to a financed sale
Condition, not price, is what usually stops a Davenport sale. Much of the stock predates 1960, and an appraiser or inspector tends to surface the same short list: a wet basement, a boiler and radiators, a fuse box, knob-and-tube wiring, and an aging roof.
Neighborhood character varies too, from 1850s houses in East Davenport to 1905-1940 stock in McClellan Heights along the east bluff. Iowa requires sellers to disclose known issues in writing before a written offer is made or accepted (Iowa Code § 558A.2), covered in our Iowa seller disclosure requirements guide.
What is holding the Quad Cities economy up?
The Quad Cities economy rests on manufacturing, the Rock Island Arsenal, two hospital systems, and two colleges. John Deere's global headquarters sits in Moline, Arconic runs Davenport Works, and MercyOne Genesis and UnityPoint Health anchor medical employment.
Manufacturing has been the soft spot: 80 John Deere employees at Davenport Works worked their last day on January 3, 2025, part of a round attributed to low demand (KCRG, January 3, 2025). Those layoffs do not move a citywide index, but add hardship sales one household at a time.
Seller costs and the two dates that set the clock
Iowa charges a seller-paid real estate transfer tax of 80 cents per $500 of consideration above the first $500, roughly 0.16% (Iowa Code § 428A.1). On a $196,244 sale, that is about $313, a minor line next to commissions or repair credits.
Two dates matter more than the transfer tax. The first is the annual tax sale, held the third Monday in June by every Iowa county treasurer (Iowa Code § 446.7). Scott County published its most recent list on June 16, 2026. A tax sale does not transfer your house: the owner keeps a redemption right under Iowa Code chapter 447, waiting one year and nine months plus a 90-day notice.
The second is the foreclosure clock. Iowa is primarily a judicial foreclosure state, and redemption after a sheriff's sale generally runs one year (Iowa Code § 628.3). That window shortens to six or three months if the lender waives a deficiency, and to 60 days on an abandoned property.
What the numbers mean for you, by situation
The same data supports opposite decisions depending on the house and deadline. Sellers looking at Quad Cities cash home buyers usually fall into one of the rows below.
| Your situation | What the data says | What usually decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Move-in-ready house, no deadline | Iowa averaged 16 days on market in July 2026, and values are up 3.3% in the city | Listing usually wins. A cash offer is a floor to compare against |
| Inherited bluff house in McClellan Heights | Grand pre-1940 stock; Iowa's $50,000 affidavit cannot pass real property | Carrying costs during administration, and whether heirs want a restoration |
| Tired landlord near Palmer or St. Ambrose | Steady student and hospital rental demand in Central Davenport | Whether the house can sell with a tenant in place and no turnover work |
| Downtown or riverfront parcel in Zone AE | No permanent floodwall; a 16-foot crest in April 2026 | Flood insurance cost and whether a financed buyer's lender signs off |
| Behind on Scott County property taxes | Tax sale on the third Monday in June (Iowa Code § 446.7) | Settling the balance at closing inside the redemption window |
| Relocating after a layoff or a transfer | 80 Davenport Works positions ended January 3, 2025 (KCRG) | A start date in another state, and not carrying two housing payments |
How a cash offer fits in the Quad Cities
A cash offer is worth requesting when the calendar and condition matter more than price. Most people who search sell my house fast in the Quad Cities are working against a date: a redemption deadline, probate step, job start, or departing tenant. Propcash is a direct cash homebuyer founded in 2026 and based in Nashville, making offers as a principal.
Comparing that offer against a listing is the honest next step. Iowa averaged 16 days on market in July 2026, so a clean, financeable house often does well listed, but a listing struggles with a Zone AE flood quote or a failed boiler.
If listing looks stronger, Propcash will say so and point you toward a local agent instead. We may receive compensation from agents we refer.
The practical differences of a cash sale here are narrow and specific:
- As-is. No repairs, cleaning, or cleanout. Take what you want and leave the rest.
- A schedule you set. Closings can be structured around a probate step or redemption date, closing in as few as 7 days.
- No financing contingency. No bank underwriting, appraisal, or lender flood policy, and no commissions or fees to Propcash.
Get a cash offer on your Davenport house in about two minutes with no obligation, or see how the process works on the Davenport and Quad Cities cash offer page. Conditions statewide are covered on our Iowa cash buyer overview.
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Let's chatFrequently Asked Questions
What is the typical house value in Davenport in 2026?
The Zillow Home Value Index put the typical Davenport house at $196,244 as of July 31, 2026, up 3.3% year over year. That is a modeled value, not a median of what sold, and it sits below the $280,000 statewide median Iowa REALTORS reported for July 2026, because that median counts only closed sales.
Is the Davenport housing market going up or down in 2026?
Values are rising modestly: Zillow's index for Davenport was up 3.3% year over year as of July 31, 2026. Across the Quad Cities, 916 single-family houses sold in the first quarter of 2026, down 2.5% from a year earlier (Quad City Area Realtors, April 2026).
How long does it take to sell a house in Davenport right now?
The weekly Quad City Area REALTORS table for August 1 to 4, 2026 showed 38 days on market for seven Davenport closings, a small sample. Iowa REALTORS reported 16 days on market statewide for July 2026, so a clean, financeable house often sells quickly while one with problems can sit far longer.
Does Davenport have a floodwall?
No. Davenport is the largest Mississippi River city without a permanent floodwall or levee, while Bettendorf and Rock Island built theirs decades ago (Quad-City Times, April 2023). The city relies on temporary barriers and a flood plan, and in April 2026 the river crested near 16 feet before the plan was deactivated May 1 (City of Davenport).
How much is the Iowa transfer tax when you sell a house in Davenport?
Iowa's real estate transfer tax is 80 cents per $500 of consideration above the first $500, roughly 0.16% (Iowa Code 428A.1). On a $196,244 sale, that is about $313, customarily paid by the seller, next to commissions or repair credits.
When is the Scott County tax sale and what happens after it?
Iowa county treasurers hold the annual tax sale on the third Monday in June (Iowa Code 446.7); Scott County published its most recent sale list on June 16, 2026. Selling the certificate does not take your house. The owner keeps a redemption right under Iowa Code chapter 447, waiting one year and nine months plus a 90-day notice.
Does a cash sale make sense in the Davenport housing market in 2026?
It depends on the house and the deadline, not the market direction. A move-in-ready house often does well listed, given a 16-day statewide average in July 2026. A cash sale earns its place when a lender or inspector is the obstacle. Examples: a Zone AE parcel, a boiler and fuse box in a pre-1960 house, a tenant in place, or a tax sale date on the calendar.
Data Sources: Zillow Home Value Index; Iowa REALTORS via Corridor Business Journal; Quad City Area REALTORS/RMLS Alliance via the Muscatine Journal. Quad Cities Regional Business Journal; National Weather Service Quad Cities; City of Davenport; Quad-City Times; KCRG; Scott County Treasurer; Iowa Code chapters 428A, 446, 447, 558A, and 628. Propcash is a direct cash homebuyer, not a law firm or a brokerage. Iowa sellers should consult an Iowa-licensed attorney for case-specific guidance.