City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Waverly, IA

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

10,446
Residents
$78,429
Median income
$215,200
Median home
$978
Median rent (state)

Waverly - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Waverly places in the 60th percentile for household income and the 62nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

60th
percentile, household income
47th
percentile, home value
18th
percentile, median rent
62nd
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: Waverly, IA

Iowa's Waverly is a small town, with 10,446 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Waverly brings in $78,429 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.6%. Waverly's housing stock carries a median value of $215,200, and the median resident age is 32.5 years. About 43.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 63.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Waverly reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1027.3 crimes per 100,000 residents, below 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: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Iowa scores 87.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $978 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Iowa run around $212, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 24.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

10,446 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$78,429 /yr

Poverty 5.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Waverly compare to other US cities?

Here's how Waverly stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 60% higher than other cities
Home value 47% pricier than other cities
Median rent 18% pricier than other cities
Safety 62% 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, Waverly ranks #80 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 Waverly'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.

60thIncome percentile
62ndSafety percentile

60th percentile nationally for median household income · 62nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Waverly's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Waverly'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 63 Avg. percentile National median
Waverly'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 Waverly's home value compares nationally

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

$215,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 53% 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%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Waverly $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 - Waverly, IA Waverly, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Waverly, 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 Waverly, IA median $78,429/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%
Waverly, 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 Waverly, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 43.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.6%

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

Population
10,446
Median Income
$78,429
Median Home Value
$215,200
Median Age
32.5
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Labor force participation
63.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
43.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1027.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
141.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
885.9
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
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,300 residents10,400 residents10,500 residents10,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,415 residents 10,561 residents ▲ +1.4%
Waverly's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
67.6%
Carpool
9.5%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
12.5%
Work from Home
10.0%

Based on 5,234 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 Waverly sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$978/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
24.6 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Le Mars
10,597 people
Pella
10,624 people
Carroll
10,261 people
Fort Madison
10,221 people
Pleasant Hill
10,796 people
Keokuk
9,748 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Waverly's 10,446 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Golden Hills, CA
10,445 people
Silverton, OR
10,445 people
Garrison, MD
10,449 people
Rockport, TX
10,449 people
Scaggsville, MD
10,441 people
Vermilion, OH
10,451 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Waverly's $78,429 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sterling Heights, MI
$78,429 median income
Richfield, OH
$78,426 median income
Erlanger, KY
$78,420 median income
Charlotte, NC
$78,438 median income
Gastonville, PA
$78,438 median income
Tabor, SD
$78,438 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Waverly, 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 Waverly, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.3% White 90.5% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 1.7% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 4.7% 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 Waverly 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
Waverly (this city) 10,446 $78,429
Le Mars 10,597 $72,381
Pella 10,624 $81,201
Carroll 10,261 $59,323
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Waverly, IA?

What is the population of Waverly, IA? +

Waverly, IA counts 10,446 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Waverly, the typical household earns $78,429 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Waverly? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Waverly; 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 Waverly, IA safe? +

Waverly has a total crime rate of 1027.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Waverly, IA? +

The median home value in Waverly is $215,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, 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.