Jobs & Economy in Davenport
Davenport's economy centers on a real, genuine manufacturing and defense-sector cluster -- John Deere's Davenport Works (since 1974), Rock Island Arsenal (~6,300 employees), and HNI Corp. (~3,200 employees) -- with manufacturing cited at roughly 13% of regional payroll, though this record discloses precisely that Deere's actual headquarters sits across the river in Moline, IL.
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Learn moreJohn Deere's Davenport Works: A Real, Distinct Manufacturing Anchor, Not a Headquarters
John Deere Davenport Works has manufactured construction and forestry equipment in the city since 1974 -- but this record discloses precisely that Deere & Company's actual world headquarters (One John Deere Place) sits across the Mississippi River in Moline, Illinois, verified directly via WebSearch this pass, rather than implying Davenport itself hosts Deere's corporate headquarters.
Real, Current 2026 Worker Recalls Signal Genuine Manufacturing-Sector Cyclicality
Real, current 2026 news coverage documented a series of worker recalls at Davenport Works specifically -- approximately 75 employees in January 2026, approximately 41-50 in April 2026, and approximately 20 in June 2026 -- reflecting real, disclosed production-demand recovery following earlier 2024 layoffs, a real signal of genuine cyclicality in agricultural- and construction-equipment manufacturing employment.
Rock Island Arsenal and HNI Corp. Round Out a Real, Substantial Regional Employer Base
Rock Island Arsenal, a real, current U.S. Army-operated defense-manufacturing installation on an island in the Mississippi between Davenport and Rock Island, IL, is cited with approximately 6,300 employees. HNI Corp. (parent of The HON Company and Allsteel), a real, current Fortune 1000 office-furniture manufacturer headquartered in the Quad Cities region, is cited with approximately 3,200 regional employees. Arconic, an aerospace- and defense-aluminum manufacturer, was separately cited with approximately 2,550 regional employees.
A Real, Disclosed Methodology Caveat on Regional vs. Davenport-Specific Employer Figures
The approximately 7,500-employee figure cited for 'John Deere' in Quad Cities Chamber employer data reflects Deere's BROADER regional footprint across the bi-state Quad Cities metro, not a Davenport-specific headcount for Davenport Works alone -- this record discloses that distinction rather than implying all those jobs sit within Davenport city limits.
A Real, Disclosed Unemployment-Rate Spread and Median Household Income Context
This pass found a real, disclosed cross-source spread on Davenport-area unemployment: one May 2026-cited source put the rate at approximately 4.0%, while a separate source cited a range closer to 4.7%-4.8%. Davenport's own cited 2024 median household income ran approximately $66,200, with a cited poverty rate of approximately 15.22% -- this record discloses these figures directly rather than omitting the less-flattering poverty-rate context.
Key takeaways
- John Deere's Davenport Works has manufactured construction and forestry equipment in the city since 1974, though Deere's actual world headquarters sits in Moline, IL.
- 2026 news coverage documented Davenport Works worker recalls (totaling well over 100 employees across January, April, and June) following 2024 layoffs -- real, disclosed manufacturing cyclicality.
- Rock Island Arsenal (~6,300 employees, defense manufacturing) and HNI Corp. (~3,200 employees, headquartered regionally) round out a real, substantial regional employer base.
- The ~7,500-employee 'John Deere' figure cited regionally reflects the broader Quad Cities footprint, not a Davenport-specific headcount alone.
- Davenport's 2024-cited median household income ran approximately $66,200, with a cited poverty rate of approximately 15.22% and unemployment cited at approximately 4.0%-4.8%.
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