Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. It is the 15th largest city of Iowa and the third-largest city in the “Quad Cities”. It is part of the Davenport–Moline–Rock Island, IA-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 39,102 at the 2020 U.S. Census.

Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, along with next to Davenport and the Illinois cities of Moline, East Moline and Rock Island. The Quad Cities have a population estimate of 382,630.

Bettendorf lies in the original Wisconsin Territory, which the United States bought from the Sac and Fox Indians after defeating them in the Black Hawk War. The territory was ceded in the Black Hawk Purchase of 1832. The first European-American settlers acknowledged a village they called Lilienthal, after an further on tavern and dance hall. The village of Gilbert developed closely Lilienthal in 1858, honoring Elias Gilbert, who platted the original site. At that time, the residents were predominantly German immigrants and worked as farmers, skilled laborers, and small business owners. The two villages eventually total to become the town of Gilbert.

Circa 1900, the town gave William and Joseph Bettendorf 70 acres (280,000 m) of riverfront land on the condition that they assume their iron wagon matter from Davenport to Gilbert. In 1903, the town of 440 citizens petitioned for incorporation, requesting to bend the town’s reveal in honor of the brothers whose factory was a major economic have an effect on in the early forward movement of the city.