(February 1, 2025) The City of Davenport conducted a community survey at the end of 2024 to assess how satisfied residents are with major City services and to gather input about priorities for the community. The survey packet is mailed to 5,000 randomly selected Davenport households.
This was the tenth time Davenport has administered a community survey. It has been conducted every two years since 2006. In all, 808 residents completed the survey. The results of the survey were presented to Davenport City Council at the first of the budget workshops for Fiscal Year 2026. Click here to view the 2024 Community Survey Findings Report.
Top rated City services
1. Fire and Paramedic services
2. Libraries
3. Garbage/recycling collection
What City services should have top priority?
1. Quality of City streets
2. Quality of neighborhoods
3. Quality of police services
4. Attract and retain businesses
5. Effectiveness of City’s public engagement
What community issues should be the City’s top priorities?
1. Public safety
2. Infrastructure
3. Retaining and attracting jobs
KEY FINDINGS
1. A majority of people say Davenport is a good place to live and work, but they also believe the overall image of the City is declining.
Davenport residents (54%) rate the overall quality of services provided by the City are either ‘very good’ or ‘good’. They’re most satisfied by the quality of fire and paramedic services, library services, and quality of garbage and recycling services.
The assessments of Davenport as a good place to live (62%) and work (67%) both beat the national benchmarks reported by other communities across the country.
Only 40% of residents are satisfied with the overall image of the city, a drop from 50% in the 2022 survey.
Residents are also less satisfied with the value they receive for their tax dollars and fees. Results showed a downward trend starting in 2008 (44%), down to 40% in 2022, and 33% in 2024.
2. While residents say they overall feel safe in Davenport, they want to see more work put into crime prevention in the City.
Davenport residents (80%) say they’re satisfied with police responsiveness to emergency calls and feel DPD personnel are professional, capable, and fair.
The survey shows people want to see police more visible in retail areas and neighborhoods.
Most people say they feel safe in their neighborhoods and in City facilities. But only 47% of respondents say they feel safe in downtown Davenport.
Survey participants also want the City to prioritize ways to prevent crime. Only 36% of residents say crime prevention efforts are either ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
3. Residents value City amenities and assets including public gardens, golf courses, and library services.
Residents report they’re satisfied with the number, location, and accessibility of City parks and the quality and variety of recreation programs and events in the City.
More than half of respondents say the overall appearance of parks and facilities should be the biggest priority for the Parks Department over the next two years, along with improvements to the quality of walking and biking trails.
Lower rated park services include swimming facilitates, swimming programs, and hours of operation at City pools.
There is opportunity for more residents to take advantage of the recreation assets in the City. Only 41% of people say someone in their household participated in a City recreation program or visited a recreational facility in the past year.
58% percent of respondents say they use library services, and most report satisfaction with the quality of materials, access to public computers, and programming for children.
4. The City ranks high for customer service, but residents say they’re less satisfied with access to information and engagement from the City.
85% of people report having positive customer service interactions with City employees, agreeing that employees are friendly and polite, provide accurate information, and respond promptly to questions.
Most people say they learn about what’s going on in the City through local TV news channels, newspapers and their respective websites, and City of Davenport social media pages. Still, fewer than half (48%) report the access to information about the city is either ‘very good’ or ‘good’.
Fewer than 5% say they keep up with the City by attending public meetings or through contact with their Ward Alderman.
Only a quarter of residents say the City engages effectively with the public.
5. Condition of streets is the number one concern for a majority of City residents.
Residents say both major City streets and neighborhood streets should be high priority for the City. 59% of people say major streets are in poor condition. 47% say the same for neighborhood streets.
Snow removal on neighborhood streets is also low rated, but people say they’re more satisfied by snow removal on major streets.
Only 45% of people rate flood control and protection as either good or very good – however this response improved over previous surveys in 2008 and 2022.