City of Waterloo Carousel · National Register of Historic Places
Waterloo’s story
Waterloo in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
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WaterlooWI
A town of 3,600. Public schools that outperform most of Wisconsin.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: self · CC BY-SA 2.5
Population
3,600
+4.8% since 2010
Median home value
$231K
Census ACS
Household income
$88K
median
Median age
37.8
years
Jobs based here
2,036
Balanced
What makes Waterloo stand out
The 3 things Waterloo does most differently from other towns.
C+School Grade
Schools
Better than 35%
of WI districts
School Grade C+.
Outdoors
#27 most trails in WI
5.5 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
4.5% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● Waterloo
Health
Healthier than 50%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than WI on 0 measures, worse on 1.
Get outside
6 miles of trails in Waterloo
4.5% of the town is conserved land, across 4 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Waterloo’s report card
Now in Waterloo
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Residents weigh in
Waterloo is #366 of 371 in WI for “Shortest commute”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Waterloo’s Town Square.
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The data
Ordered by what stands out in Waterloo. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Waterloo’s public schools outperform 35% of Wisconsin districts
The public schools Waterloo’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 65% of Wisconsin’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
C+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo Elementary | PK–4 | 281 | C |
| St. John Evangelical Lutheran School Private | PK–8 | 102 | |
| Holy Family School Private | PK–7 | 26 | |
| Waterloo Middle | 7–8 | 118 | C− |
| Waterloo Intermediate | 5–6 | 114 | C− |
| Waterloo High | 9–12 | 232 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduationAll 6 schools →
Outdoors
4.5% of Waterloo is conserved land
5.5 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves.
#27for trails in WI
4.5%
conserved · 112 of 2,459 acres
5.5 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
#162
most conserved land in WI
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dr. J.S. Garman Nature Preserve | 1.4 mi | 42 |
| 2. Firemen's Park | 0.6 mi | 43 |
| 3. Morrisin Field | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in nine working residents works right in Waterloo
Most working residents leave Waterloo for work: only 11% work in town. The top destinations are Madison (9%), Watertown (8%) and Lake Mills (6%). Half commute less than 16 miles.
11%work in town
Where working residents work
In Waterloo11%
Madison9%
Watertown8%
Lake Mills6%
Sun Prairie5%
16 mi
median commute distance
2,036
jobs based in Waterloo
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 50% of U.S. towns
Waterloo beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
B−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Waterloo | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults screened for colon cancer | 63.4% | 69.4% |
Columbus Community Hospital
10 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
38th
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Housing
Homes in Waterloo sell for about $423K
The median sale price was $423,000 in May 2026.
$423Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
82
days on market
98.5%
sale-to-list price
7
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Waterloo has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 42 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
42″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–30°
Spring35–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall39–60°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 33% of U.S. communities.
33risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
3
paid flood claims since 2008
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Safety
Crime reported in Waterloo
Waterloo's reported crime rate is well below Wisconsin's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. No violent crimes were reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Waterloo0
Wisconsin2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Waterloo3.8
Wisconsin10.3
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
14
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Landmarks
2 places in Waterloo on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Waterloo
City in Wisconsin, United States
Waterloo is a city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,628 at the 2020 census. The name Waterloo was suggested by a French resident who was one of Napoleon's soldiers at the Battle of Waterloo. Waterloo is located in the Watertown–Fort Atkinson micropolitan area. The city is the home of Trek Bicycle Corporation.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 3,492
- Area
- 3.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 810 ft
- ZIP code
- 53594
- Area code
- 920
Waterloo’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Waterloo.
WaterlooPortlandMedinaWaterloo