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Iowa city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Waterloo?

What it costs to live in Waterloo, and how it compares with other Iowa cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

31

28th best value in Iowa

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Iowa cities.

Overall livability

16

30th overall in Iowa

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Waterloo is home to about 67,695 people. A typical home runs $122,300 and a household earns around $49,400, a price-to-income ratio of 2.5. Among Iowa's largest cities, it ranks 28th for value and 30th overall.

Waterloo at a glance

Median home price

$122,300

13th in IA of 30

Median rent

$803/mo

Median household income

$49,400

Home price to income

2.5x

Unemployment

6.7%

29th in IA of 30

School rating

3/10

30th in IA of 30

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in IA of 30

Walk score

7/100

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‹ See all top Iowa cities ranked  ยท  Iowa state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Iowa only. Updated 2026.