Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Waterloo, IA

    Is Waterloo a good place to live?

    Watch Waterloo

    Waterloo ranks #19 of 19 Iowa cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (24/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.5% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $150,200
    +5.8% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $896
    per month
    Household income
    $56,344
    median
    Unemployment
    6.4%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Waterloo

    The median home value in Waterloo is $150,200 and median rent is $896 a month, against a median household income of $56,344. Homes cost about 2.7× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Waterloo crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Iowa the 2025 rate was 238 violent and 1,205 property crimes per 100,000 people — #40 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Waterloo, IA

    Waterloo has about 66,947 residents, 6.4% unemployment and 16% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Waterloo with

    Waterloo vs Des MoinesWaterloo vs Cedar RapidsWaterloo vs DavenportWaterloo vs Sioux CityWaterloo vs Iowa CityWaterloo vs AnkenyWaterloo vs West Des MoinesWaterloo vs Ames

    More: Where to move in Iowa · Best counties in Iowa

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report