City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Waterloo, IL

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.

11,055
Residents
$92,005
Median income
$237,900
Median home
$1,218
Median rent (state)

Waterloo - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Waterloo places in the 72nd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

72nd
percentile, household income
53rd
percentile, home value
38th
percentile, median rent
📝 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, IL

Waterloo is a small town in Illinois, home to 11,055 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Waterloo brings in $92,005 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.7%. Waterloo's housing stock carries a median value of $237,900, and the median resident age is 40.2 years. Educational attainment runs 36.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 64.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 29 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 26% from five years earlier.

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Illinois scores 100.0 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,218 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $240 across Illinois, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 41.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

11,055 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$92,005 /yr

Poverty 4.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois 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 72% higher than other cities
Home value 53% pricier than other cities
Median rent 38% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Waterloo against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Waterloo toward the top of Illinois's cities

Among the 1,336 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Waterloo ranks #230 - the 83rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Waterloo only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#288 of 1,311
78th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#378 of 1,336
65th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#256 of 1,315
81st percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#869 of 1,335
34th percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#230 of 1,336
83rd percentile in Illinois

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Illinois only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

72ndIncome percentile

72nd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Waterloo's home value compares nationally

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

$237,900 47th percentile more affordable than 47% 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%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $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, IL Waterloo, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Waterloo, IL-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, IL median $92,005/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, IL'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, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 36.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.6%

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

Population
11,055
Median Income
$92,005
Median Home Value
$237,900
Median Age
40.2
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Labor force participation
64.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
36.4%

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,900 residents11,000 residents11,100 residents11,200 residents11,300 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,994 residents 11,132 residents ▲ +1.3%
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)
29
housing units authorized
Single-Family
27
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 39
2020 67
2021 56
2022 46
2023 30
2024 29

Permit volume decreased 26% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.8%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
11.6%
Other
2.6%

Based on 5,677 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois 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 Illinois 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
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,218/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
41.9 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Barrington
11,049 people
Columbia
11,063 people
Burr Ridge
11,119 people
Taylorville
11,149 people
Summit
10,896 people
Troy
10,889 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Waterloo's 11,055 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Coshocton, OH
11,056 people
Lake Grove, NY
11,050 people
Marinette, WI
11,060 people
Aguadilla zona urbana, PR
11,060 people
Danville, IN
11,049 people
Fairview Shores, FL
11,064 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Waterloo's $92,005 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Carlyss, LA
$92,004 median income
Unionville, NC
$92,009 median income
Point Lay, AK
$92,000 median income
Northfield, MN
$92,000 median income
Palm Valley, TX
$92,000 median income
Hawley, MN
$92,017 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Waterloo, IL 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, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.7% White 95.9% Black or African American 0.8% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.4% Two or more races 1.7% 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 Illinois 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) 11,055 $92,005
Barrington 11,049 $150,714
Columbia 11,063 $107,922
Burr Ridge 11,119 $154,508
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Waterloo, IL?

What is the population of Waterloo, IL? +

The population of Waterloo, IL stands at 11,055 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Waterloo households earn a median of $92,005 annually, 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 Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

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

Homes in Waterloo carry a median value of $237,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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

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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.