City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Waterloo, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Waterloo - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

66,947
Residents
$56,344
Median income
$150,200
Median home
$1,051
Median rent (state)

Waterloo - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Waterloo places in the 29th percentile for household income and the 17th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

29th
percentile, household income
27th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
17th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Waterloo, IA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 66,947 residents in Waterloo, a small city within Iowa. Median household income here is $56,344 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.5%. Home values in Waterloo run a median of $150,200, and the median resident age is 36.6 years. 22.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 109 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 54% from five years earlier. Waterloo's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2920.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Iowa at 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,051 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Iowa's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 76.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

66,947 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$56,344 /yr

Poverty 11.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Waterloo compare to other US cities?

Waterloo measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 29% higher than other cities
Home value 27% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities
Safety 17% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Iowa alone, Waterloo ranks #131 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Waterloo's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

29thIncome percentile
17thSafety percentile

29th percentile nationally for median household income · 17th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Waterloo's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Waterloo's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 40 Avg. percentile National median
Waterloo's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Waterloo's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$150,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 73% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Waterloo $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Waterloo, IA Waterloo, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Waterloo, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Waterloo, IA median $56,344/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Waterloo, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Waterloo, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
66,947
Median Income
$56,344
Median Home Value
$150,200
Median Age
36.6
Poverty Rate
11.5%
Labor force participation
61.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2920.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
476.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2444.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
16
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
66,000 residents66,500 residents67,000 residents67,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 67,259 residents 66,919 residents ▼ -0.5%
Waterloo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
109
housing units authorized
Single-Family
45
detached homes
Multifamily
64
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 237
2020 94
2021 13
2022 48
2023 235
2024 109

Permit volume decreased 54% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.8%
Carpool
12.1%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
7.1%
Other
1.1%

Based on 31,742 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Waterloo sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,051/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
76.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Ames
66,112 people
West Des Moines
69,893 people
Ankeny
70,542 people
Council Bluffs
62,564 people
Dubuque
59,271 people
Iowa City
75,264 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Waterloo's 66,947 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Delray Beach, FL
66,940 people
Lodi, CA
67,008 people
Grand Junction, CO
67,027 people
Davis, CA
66,801 people
Spring, TX
67,103 people
Madera, CA
67,133 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Waterloo's $56,344 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Plymptonville, PA
$56,346 median income
Gainesville, TX
$56,341 median income
Millington, MI
$56,339 median income
New Florence, PA
$56,339 median income
Albany, TX
$56,339 median income
Vienna, GA
$56,351 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Waterloo, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Waterloo, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 69.1% 17.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.6% White 69.1% Black or African American 17.2% Asian 2.6% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 1.1% Some other race 3.6% Two or more races 5.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Waterloo compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Waterloo (this city) 66,947 $56,344
Ames 66,112 $60,102
West Des Moines 69,893 $84,925
Ankeny 70,542 $106,603
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Waterloo, IA?

What is the population of Waterloo, IA? +

66,947 people live in Waterloo, IA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Waterloo, IA? +

Median annual household income in Waterloo runs $56,344, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Waterloo? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Waterloo; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

Is Waterloo, IA safe? +

Waterloo has a total crime rate of 2920.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Waterloo, IA? +

Waterloo's median home value sits at $150,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.