Editorial: Davenport’s pivotal ranking

There are a lot of rankings from media and financial companies with dubious methodologies and questionable efficacy. But the recent ranking placing Davenport as the No. 1 best place for millennial homebuyers among the Midwest’s largest cities has the potential to be a marketing game-changer for the community and region.

Davenport was named the No. 1 best place for millennial homebuyers among the Midwest’s largest cities in a new list compiled by The Ascent, an affiliate of The Motley Fool that rates financial goods and services.

One of the Quad Cities’ biggest challenges – like so many other Midwestern cities – is attaining and attracting young workers. And one of the biggest concerns among young workers is affordable housing. This ranking gives Davenport and the region a unique marketing advantage regarding the concerns of young workers. 

According to an October 2021 Pew Research Center survey, adults under 50 are more likely than their older counterparts to say affordable housing availability is a major problem locally. More than half of adults ages 18 to 29 and 30 to 49 say this (55% in both age groups), compared with smaller shares of those 50 to 64 and those 65 and older (44% and 39%, respectively).

And this concern is growing.

Since 2018, there have been increases across demographic groups who say that the availability of affordable housing in their community is a major problem. For example, 55% of adults under 30 now say this is a major problem – a 16 percentage point rise from the 39% who said so in 2018.

Visit Quad Cities President and CEO Dave Herrell said in a QCBJ news report that recognition and rankings are valuable tools. “Not just because you need to keep score but it’s a leverage moment. A chance to use this to further our story and build the brand. It should always be a reminder that we need to continually push the public sector and private sector to do more. And we believe they are. More thought leadership. More collaboration. More partnership. More investment. And, more teamwork so that we are positioned to win.”

Bringing Forty Under 40 back to the QC

The Quad Cities Regional Business Journal is excited to bring back the Forty Under 40 awards to the region after it was put on hiatus by the Black Hawk College Foundation.

While bringing these awards back certainly won’t be a panacea to the challenge of attracting and retaining young workers, it –  in a small way – helps shine a light on amazing young workers who are doing so much to improve their businesses and communities.

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