Davenport is the Iowa anchor of the Quad Cities, facing Rock Island and Moline across the Mississippi, with an economy tied to farm machinery manufacturing and river commerce, and a metro workforce that crosses the state line both directions every day. That river crossing matters more than most people realize: Iowa and Illinois now have almost opposite rules for individual health coverage, and which side of the bridge you sleep on decides which set you get.
The rules here
| Max initial term (short-term) | Less than 12 months |
| Max total duration | 36 months (IAC 191-36) |
| Products available | ACA marketplace, short-term, extended short-term, fixed indemnity, supplemental |
| Exchange type | Federal marketplace (HealthCare.gov) |
| Medicaid expansion | Yes |
What's available in Davenport
| Coverage line | Available here | Key limit | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACA marketplace plans | Yes | Open enrollment or a qualifying event | ACA plans |
| Short-term medical | Yes | Initial term under 12 months | Short-term |
| Extended short-term (multi-year) | Yes | Up to 36 months total | Extended plans |
| Fixed indemnity | Yes | Fixed cash payouts, not major medical | Fixed indemnity |
| Supplemental (accident, critical illness, dental, vision) | Yes | Pairs with other coverage | Accident · Critical illness · Dental · Vision |
Short-term and fixed indemnity plans are not ACA compliant and do not count as minimum essential coverage. They are medically underwritten and typically exclude pre-existing conditions.
What one person pays for coverage in Iowa
Average monthly premiums for individual coverage. Family pricing differs; quotes are individual.
| Coverage type | Monthly premium (individual) | What that number is |
|---|---|---|
| ACA marketplace (before subsidy) | $615 avg. | State average, before tax credits (CMS Marketplace OEP, 2026).1 |
| ACA marketplace (after average subsidy) | $134 after credit | State average, after the average tax credit, among subsidized enrollees (CMS Marketplace OEP, 2026).1 |
| Employer coverage (single / family) | $637 / $1913 single / family | State average total monthly premium, single / family; employee pays about $149/mo toward single coverage (MEPS-IC, 2024).2 |
| Medicaid | $0 or nominal for those who qualify | Program design, not an average; eligibility is income-based5 |
If you are self-employed in Davenport, the individual marketplace benchmark above is the starting figure, and the subsidy calculation does the rest. It depends on projected household income and family size for the year and is never guaranteed by an estimate. A licensed agent can run your actual scenario in one sitting.
Averages from federal data and our own client base, not quotes. Your price depends on your age, household, income, and plan choice.
Davenport at a glance
Davenport is the largest of the Quad Cities and the seat of Scott County, home to the Figge Art Museum, a riverfront minor league ballpark that floods famously, a rebuilt downtown, and Palmer College of Chiropractic, where the profession was founded. Farm equipment manufacturing dominates the metro's industrial base, with major operations on both sides of the river.
| Population | County | Metro |
|---|---|---|
| ~101,700 | Scott (FIPS 19163) | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island |
Three Davenport situations
Craig, 47, machinist who took a buyout from an equipment plant. He plans to open a home shop. His buyout year income is high, so subsidies are unlikely this year; an extended short-term plan holds an underwritten rate for up to 36 months while the shop finds its footing, with a marketplace re-check every open enrollment.
Sondra, 36, hygienist working across the river in Moline. She lives in Davenport, so Iowa rules govern her options even though her paycheck is from Illinois, and that difference is stark: Illinois banned short-term plans, Iowa allows 36 months. Her marketplace plan also comes from the Iowa side of HealthCare.gov.
Reggie, 55, river terminal contractor with type 2 diabetes. Underwriting would exclude or decline his most important coverage need. A marketplace plan takes him as he is, covers the diabetes care, and at his contractor income a subsidy likely applies. The 36-month products are simply not built for his situation.
How Iowa's rules work
Iowa administrative code (IAC 191-36) permits short-term plans with initial terms under 12 months and a total duration up to 36 months including renewals. Iowa's rule stands on its own: the 2024 federal short-term rule is currently not being enforced per the August 7, 2025 tri-agency statement, and the state framework is what governs a Davenport policy in any event.
Iowa expanded Medicaid, so income-eligible adults enroll year-round. The marketplace runs through HealthCare.gov, open enrollment November 1 through January 15. The Quad Cities wrinkle deserves repeating: an Iowa resident and an Illinois resident working the same plant floor have different individual markets, different short-term rules, and potentially different networks. Residence decides everything, so address changes across the river are insurance events worth reporting.
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Keep reading — more Iowa guides
Premium data methodology. 1 Marketplace premium averages reflect the average monthly premium before advance premium tax credits, the average monthly premium after advance premium tax credits among subsidized enrollees, and the percentage of enrollees receiving advance premium tax credits, for Iowa, as reported in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files, 2026 plan year, available at cms.gov. Figures are statewide averages across all metal tiers, ages, and household sizes; your premium will differ based on your age, household, income, county, and plan selection.
2 Employer coverage averages reflect the average total monthly premium for single and family coverage at private-sector establishments in Iowa, including both employer and employee contributions, as reported in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Insurance Component (MEPS-IC), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2024 tables, available at meps.ahrq.gov. Employee contribution figure reflects the average employee share of the single-coverage premium. Employer plan costs vary by employer, plan design, and firm size.
4 No federal or state agency publishes average premium data for short-term limited duration insurance or fixed indemnity insurance. Where we do not display a client-base figure for these products, it is because we do not have sufficient policy volume in that state to report a meaningful average. Short-term and fixed indemnity products are medically underwritten, are not major medical coverage, are not required to cover pre-existing conditions or essential health benefits, and do not constitute minimum essential coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
5 Medicaid and CHIP are public programs, not insurance products sold by this agency. Premiums are $0 or nominal for those who qualify; eligibility is determined by your state based on income, household size, and other factors. The figure shown describes program design, not an average. Contact your state Medicaid agency or HealthCare.gov to check eligibility.