1933 · FACADE - Stone House · Wikimedia Commons
Waterloo’s story
208 years in pictures
10 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 3 places on the National Register.
- 1818Waterloo is settled
- 1933FACADE - Stone House
WaterlooIL
A town of 11,129, settled in 1818. A typical home worth about $331K.
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
11,129
+12.3% since 2010
Typical home
$331K
+3.1% in a year
Household income
$99K
median
Median age
41.5
years
Jobs based here
3,219
A commuter town
What makes Waterloo stand out
The 3 things Waterloo does most differently from other towns.
A growing town
Waterloo has grown 12.3% since 2010
9,811 people in 2010; 11,129 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Waterloo’s report card
Now in Waterloo
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Waterloo is #19 of 819 in IL for “Least snow”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Waterloo’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →52°
Clear
H 83° · L 62°
Local news
All →- Waterloo vs Freeburg - Girls Varsity Volleyball 10/15/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 28
- Waterloo vs Freeburg - Boys Varsity Soccer 09/29/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 28
- Waterloo vs Central Breese - Boys Varsity Basketball 12/22/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 26
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Waterloo. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
A typical Waterloo home is worth about $331K
The typical Waterloo home is worth about $331,000, up 3.1% in a year, 11% above the Illinois typical home.
$331KZillow home value
Typical home value
Waterloo$331K
Illinois$298K
Market temperature
53
days on market
96.9%
sale-to-list price
+3.1%
value change, 1 year
23
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Schools
Waterloo’s public schools outperform 81% of Illinois districts
The public schools Waterloo’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 81% of Illinois’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
A−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| W J Zahnow Elem School | PK–1 | 487 | Not graded |
| Rogers Elem School | 2–3 | 417 | A |
| Gardner Elementary School | 4–5 | 374 | A |
| Waterloo Junior High School | 6–8 | 613 | A− |
| Waterloo High School | 9–12 | 876 | A− |
| Gibault Catholic Private | 9–12 | 192 |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IL on state tests and graduationAll 6 schools →
Health
Healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Waterloo beats the Illinois average on 9 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
A−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Illinois
9 better21 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Waterloo | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.8% | 15.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.8% | 9.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.2% | 7.6% |
Red Bud Regional Hospital
12.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
81st
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About one in six working residents works right in Waterloo
Most working residents leave Waterloo for work: only 16% work in town. The top destinations are St. Louis (11%), Columbia (5%) and Belleville (5%). Half commute less than 21 miles.
16%work in town
Where working residents work
In Waterloo16%
St. Louis11%
Columbia5%
Belleville5%
Red Bud2%
21 mi
median commute distance
3,219
jobs based in Waterloo
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
4.4% of Waterloo is conserved land
1.6 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves.
4.4%conserved
4.4%
conserved · 238 of 5,362 acres
1.6 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
#345
most conserved land in IL
#405
most walkable in IL
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Konarcik Park | 0.3 mi | 61 |
| 2. Lakeview Park | 0.1 mi | 112 |
| 3. Waterloo Fairgounds | — | 32 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Climate
Four seasons, hot summers
Waterloo has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 9 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
9″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–43°
Spring46–67°
Summer66–87°
Fall47–68°
Oct 26
typical first frost
Apr 9
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
High risk, with earthquakes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities.
60risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingHeat waves
3
paid flood claims since 1993
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
A commuter town
84% of working residents leave Waterloo for work
Where Waterloo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,219jobs based in Waterloo
16%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
3 places in Waterloo on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Waterloo
City in Illinois, United States
Waterloo is a city in and county seat of Monroe County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,013 at the 2020 census, up from 9,811 in 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1818
- Population
- 11,013
- Area
- 8.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 719 ft
- ZIP code
- 62298
- Area code
- 618
More about Waterloo
Still missing for Waterloo:upcoming events