Waterloo, IA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Waterloo, IA Summary
Cost of living in Waterloo research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Waterloo is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Iowa, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Waterloo is 83, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Waterloo is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Waterloo ranks as the #8 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.
Waterloo ranks as the #306 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Waterloo is $147,023.
The median income in Waterloo is $56,344.
Table Of Contents
Waterloo's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Waterloo, IA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Waterloo has an overall cost of living index of 83, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, Waterloo has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Iowa's index of 90.
The standard of living in Waterloo ranks as #8 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Waterloo ranks as the #77 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in Waterloo, check out:
In Iowa
In America
Waterloo Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Waterloo. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Waterloo is 83.
The Groceries index in Waterloo is 93.
The Health index in Waterloo is 100.
The Housing index in Waterloo is 70.
The Transportation index in Waterloo is 97.
The Utilities index in Waterloo is 85.
| Living Expense | Waterloo | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 83 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 83 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 93 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 100 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 70 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 97 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 85 | 94 | 100 | |
Waterloo, IA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Iowa, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Waterloo is $147,023.
The Median Rent in Waterloo is $896.
The Median Income in Waterloo is $56,344.
The Home Value To Income in Waterloo is 2.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Waterloo is 0.19x.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Waterloo, IA Costs By Category
Detailed Waterloo Services Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Waterloo Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Waterloo Health Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Waterloo Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Waterloo Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa
Waterloo SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Waterloo
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Waterloo. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Marion, IA has a cost of living index of 97, 1.2x Waterloo.
Cedar Falls, IA has a cost of living index of 92, 1.1x Waterloo.
Central, LA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.3x Waterloo.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Waterloo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion, IA | 41,690 | 97 | 1.2x |
| Cedar Falls, IA | 40,662 | 92 | 1.1x |
| Central, LA | 29,603 | 106 | 1.3x |
| Marshalltown, IA | 27,491 | 88 | 1.1x |
| Waverly, IA | 10,446 | 91 | 1.1x |
| Hiawatha, IA | 7,178 | 93 | 1.1x |
| Independence, IA | 6,149 | 81 | 1.0x |
| Manchester, IA | 5,144 | 87 | 1.0x |
| Iowa Falls, IA | 5,062 | 86 | 1.0x |
