Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The population was 99,685 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Scott County.
Davenport is the third-largest city in the Quad Cities metropolitan area, following nearby Des Moines and Iowa City. It is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Bettendorf and several other cities in the area.
Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836, by Antoine Le Claire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk War stationed at nearby Fort Armstrong. According to the 2010 census, the city had a population of 99,685. The median income for a household in the city was $37,371, and the median income for a family was $46,924.
Davenport has a diverse economy with a foundation in manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare. The city's largest employers include Alcoa, Rock Island Arsenal, Genesis Health System, and the Quad Cities campus of Western Illinois University. The city is also home to the Quad Cities River Bandits, a minor league baseball team.
Davenport is a great place to start a small business because of its diverse economy and friendly business environment. The city offers a variety of resources to help small businesses get started and grow. The Small Business Development Center at Scott Community College provides counseling, training, and resources to help small businesses succeed. The city also offers a Business Incentive Program that provides financial assistance to businesses that create new jobs or make significant investments in the community.
Comparing SBA loan types in Davenport
Three SBA programs come up most often for Davenport, Iowa businesses, and they do different jobs.
SBA 7(a) loan: program overview
Maximum loan
$5 million (sba.gov, fetched 2026-07-24)
What it funds
Working capital, equipment, owner-occupied commercial real estate, refinancing business debt, and business acquisition.
Who lends
Participating banks and non-bank lenders. The SBA guarantees a portion of the loan; it does not lend directly to borrowers.
Rate structure
Negotiated between lender and borrower, capped at the SBA maximum. Most 7(a) loans price off the WSJ prime rate plus a spread.
Personal guaranty
Required from every owner of 20% or more of the business (13 CFR 120.160(a)).
Program facts confirmed against sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/7a-loans on Jul 24, 2026. Confirm current fees and maximum rates with your lender before relying on them.
SBA 504 loan: program overview
Maximum loan
$5.5 million per the SBA-backed debenture (sba.gov, fetched 2026-07-24). Total project size can be larger because a bank funds the first mortgage alongside it.
What it funds
Major fixed assets: owner-occupied commercial real estate and long-life machinery and equipment. Not working capital or inventory.
Structure
A conventional first-mortgage lender, a Certified Development Company holding the SBA-backed second, and a borrower down payment.
Rate
The CDC portion is fixed for the full term and set at the monthly debenture sale.
Program facts confirmed against sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/504-loans on Jul 24, 2026.
SBA Express: program overview
What it is
A delivery method inside the 7(a) program. The lender uses its own forms and procedures and gets an accelerated SBA response, in exchange for a lower SBA guarantee percentage than Standard 7(a).
What it funds
The same uses as 7(a), including revolving lines of credit, which Standard 7(a) term loans do not offer.
Trade-off
Faster turnaround and lighter paperwork, against a smaller guaranteed portion, which some lenders price for.
Current SBA Express maximum loan size and guarantee percentage are set by SBA notice and change. Confirm them on sba.gov or with your lender; this site does not publish an unverified figure.
Small business loans available in Davenport
An SBA 7(a) loan made to a Davenport, Iowa business is made by a participating lender, not by the SBA.
The lender underwrites it, sets the rate within the SBA maximum, and services it. What varies locally is
which lenders are active, not the program rules.