Snowden House · National Register of Historic Places
Waterloo’s story
Waterloo in pictures
30 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
WaterlooIA
A city of 67,008. Home to 30 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA · CC BY 2.0
Population
67,008
−1.6% since 2010
Typical home
$148K
+0.3% in a year
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
36.7
years
Jobs based here
44,272
A job hub
What makes Waterloo stand out
The 3 things Waterloo does most differently from other towns.
Snowden HouseHistory
30 historic places
30 places on the National Register
Listed for their history, architecture or both.
100 U.S. towns● Waterloo
Health
73% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than IA on 1 measures, worse on 15.
Outdoors
#33 most conserved land in IA
44 miles of trails across 62 parks and preserves
6.3% of the town is conserved land.
College town
Hawkeye Community College calls Waterloo home
2 colleges in town.
Hawkeye Community College3,862 students on campus
- Admission
- Open
- Net price
- $9,649
- Graduate
- 43%
- Admission
- Open
- Net price
- —
- Graduate
- —
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Waterloo’s report card
HealthCHealthier than 27% of U.S. townsOutdoors44 mi#37 for trails in IACommute5 miHalf of commuters travel lessSchoolsDBeats 6% of IA districtsHousing$148K38% below the IA typical homeSafetyDLess crime than 14% of U.S. townsHazards31/100Low risk of storm & flood damageClimate83°/9°Summer high · winter low · 39″ snow
Now in Waterloo
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Waterloo? Is a D for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Waterloo’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →61°
Clear
H 62° · L 45°
Local news
All →- Waterloo Police warn public of Facebook Marketplace scamsKCRG · Sep 30
- How many jobs were added in Waterloo, IA area last month?USAFacts · Sep 24
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Waterloo. Another town gets a different order.
Health
Healthier than 27% of U.S. towns
Waterloo beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15.
CHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better16 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Waterloo | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.8% | 8.7% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 9.7% | 6.4% |
Mercyone Waterloo Medical Center
2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
11th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
6.3% of Waterloo is conserved land
44 miles of trails across 62 parks and preserves.
#37for trails in IA
6.3%
conserved · 2,530 of 40,344 acres
44 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
#33
most conserved land in IA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. George Wyth Memorial State Park | 11.1 mi | 851 |
| 2. Black Hawk Creek Greenbelt | 7.3 mi | 577 |
| 3. Hartman Reserve Nature Center | 6.6 mi | 341 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About half of working residents work right in Waterloo
53% of Waterloo’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Cedar Falls (18%), Cedar Rapids (3%) and Des Moines (2%). Half commute less than 5 miles.
53%work in town
Where working residents work
In Waterloo53%
Cedar Falls18%
Cedar Rapids3%
Des Moines2%
Waverly2%
5 mi
median commute distance
44,272
jobs based in Waterloo
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Schools
Waterloo’s public schools outperform 6% of Iowa districts
The public schools Waterloo’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 94% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
DSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kittrell Elementary School | PK–5 | 576 | C− |
| Lowell Elementary School | PK–5 | 538 | D |
| Orange Elementary School | PK–5 | 518 | B− |
| Fred Becker Elementary School | PK–5 | 501 | C− |
| Lincoln Elementary School | PK–5 | 463 | D |
| Lou Henry Elementary School | K–5 | 460 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduationAll 22 schools →
Housing
A typical Waterloo home is worth about $148K
The typical Waterloo home is worth about $148,000, about the same as a year ago, 38% below the Iowa typical home.
$148KZillow home value
Typical home value
Waterloo$148K
Iowa$240K
Market temperature
11
days on market
98.4%
sale-to-list price
+0.3%
value change, 1 year
84
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 14% of U.S. towns
Waterloo reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 86% report less.
DSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Waterloo4.7
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Waterloo25.4
Iowa12
U.S.15.5
14th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
7th
percentile among IA towns
317
violent crimes reported in 2025
1,714
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 31% of U.S. communities.
31risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
233
paid flood claims since 1978
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Waterloo has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 39 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–30°
Spring37–58°
Summer60–82°
Fall39–61°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
A job hub
Every workday, about 28,735 people come to Waterloo for work
Where Waterloo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
44,272jobs based in Waterloo
53%of working residents work in town
5 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
30 places in Waterloo on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Waterloo
City in Iowa, US
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. It is the eighth-most populous city in Iowa, with a population of 67,314 at the 2020 census. Waterloo comprises a twin conurbation with neighboring municipality Cedar Falls, and is the larger of the two cities. The Waterloo – Cedar Falls metropolitan area has an estimated 170,000 residents. Waterloo is bisected into eastern and western halves by the Cedar River flowing southeastward. Waterloo is a major manufacturing, commercial, and cultural center in Northeast Iowa. John Deere, a brand renowned for its tractors, engines, and other agricultural machinery, has been manufacturing its products in the city for…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 67,314
- Area
- 63 sq mi
- Elevation
- 883 ft
- ZIP code
- 50701, 50702, 50703
- Area code
- 319
Waterloo’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Waterloo.
EvansdaleCedar FallsWaterloo
More about Waterloo
Still missing for Waterloo:archive photosupcoming events