What Land Surveys Cost in Scott County in 2026
Scott County anchors the Iowa side of the Quad Cities metropolitan area, with Davenport as the county seat and Bettendorf to the south along the Mississippi River. Le Claire sits upstream to the north, and Eldridge and Blue Grass serve the county's more rural interior. The Mississippi River defines the county's eastern boundary and shapes both its real estate market and its survey environment.
With 13 surveying firms serving the county, Scott County has a competitive market, but river-related flood zone work and active commercial development in Davenport and Bettendorf keep those firms busy year-round.
Residential Boundary Survey: $450 to $900
Standard residential boundary surveys in Scott County's suburban and rural areas run $450 to $700. Subdivisions in Eldridge and Blue Grass, and newer development on the western edges of Davenport, offer relatively straightforward lot histories and accessible terrain.
Properties closer to the Mississippi River in Davenport and Bettendorf introduce additional complexity. Riverfront parcels and those in established neighborhoods near the river may involve older records, riparian boundary questions, or coordination with FEMA flood zone mapping. Surveys in these areas typically land in the $700 to $900 range.
Le Claire, known partly as the setting for a popular cable television program about a pawn shop, has seen increased real estate attention. Its position along the Mississippi means many of its properties face river-related flood zone and riparian considerations that add to survey scope.
ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey: $1,500 to $3,500+
Commercial development along the Davenport and Bettendorf riverfront and in the growing areas around Interstate 80 generates steady ALTA survey demand. Riverfront mixed-use and hotel development in downtown Davenport, along with retail and industrial development in Bettendorf, produces a consistent pipeline of commercial transactions requiring ALTA/NSPS surveys.
Straightforward commercial parcels start around $1,500. Larger riverfront sites, properties with complex utility or access easements, or multi-parcel commercial assemblages reach $3,000 to $3,500 or more. Firms with strong commercial track records in the Davenport and Bettendorf markets are the most efficient choice for these projects.
Elevation Certificate: $175 to $350
Scott County's position along the Mississippi River makes elevation certificates among the more commonly requested survey products in the county. Davenport has experienced significant Mississippi River flooding, including major events in 2019, and many properties in low-lying sections of the city and in Le Claire fall in FEMA Zone AE flood areas.
Elevation certificates in Scott County typically cost $175 to $350. Properties in Davenport's lower riverfront neighborhoods, in older sections of Bettendorf near the river, and in Le Claire near the Mississippi corridor represent the most frequent demand areas.
Topographic Survey: $800 to $2,000
Topographic surveys in Scott County range from $800 for smaller, relatively flat parcels in the county's interior to $2,000 for larger development sites or properties along the Mississippi River bluffs where grade changes are significant. The rolling bluffs above the river in Davenport create terrain that requires more fieldwork than the county's flat interior sections.
What Drives Survey Costs in Scott County
Key cost factors here:
- River proximity: Properties near the Mississippi River require riparian boundary research and often involve flood zone considerations that add to survey scope and cost.
- Flood history: Davenport has experienced repeated Mississippi River flooding. Surveyors in the county are well-practiced with flood zone work and FEMA map coordination, but properties in repeatedly flooded areas sometimes have more complex records histories.
- Commercial riverfront development: Active development in Davenport and Bettendorf keeps ALTA demand strong. Complex riverfront sites push costs higher.
- Cross-state context: Scott County borders Illinois and the Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline metro area. While surveys on Iowa parcels require Iowa licensing, surveyors in this market often work on both sides of the river and understand the cross-state real estate context.
Iowa Licensing
All surveys in Scott County must be signed and sealed by a licensed Iowa Professional Land Surveyor under Iowa Code Chapter 542B, administered by the Iowa Engineering and Land Surveying Examining Board.
Browse licensed surveyors serving Davenport, Bettendorf, Le Claire, and all of Scott County at our Scott County directory.