Waterloo, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Waterloo, IL 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 Illinois, 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 94, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Waterloo is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Waterloo ranks as the #107 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Waterloo ranks as the #1,806 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Waterloo is $329,678.

  • The median income in Waterloo is $92,005.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
94
Waterloo's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Waterloo, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Waterloo has an overall cost of living index of 94, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Waterloo has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Waterloo ranks as #107 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Waterloo ranks as the #229 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Waterloo, check out:

107 out of 336
In Illinois
1,806 out of 6,489
In America

Waterloo Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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 94.

  • The Groceries index in Waterloo is 98.

  • The Health index in Waterloo is 90.

  • The Housing index in Waterloo is 104.

  • The Transportation index in Waterloo is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Waterloo is 103.

Living Expense Waterloo Illinois National Average
Overall 94 97 100
Services 94 95 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 90 93 100
Housing 104 95 100
Transportation 96 102 100
Utilities 103 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Waterloo Cost of Living Vs. IL

Waterloo, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, 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 $329,678.

  • The Median Rent in Waterloo is $873.

  • The Median Income in Waterloo is $92,005.

  • The Home Value To Income in Waterloo is 3.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Waterloo is 0.11x.

Statistic Waterloo Illinois United States
Median Home Value $329,678 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $873 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $92,005 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.6x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.11x 0.18x 0.21x
$329,678
Median Home Value
$873
Median Rent
$92,005
Median Income

Waterloo, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Waterloo Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Waterloo Illinois
Shampoo $1.11 $1.28
Movie $11.28 $12.13
Bowling $16.92 $18
Haircut $21.19 $24.26
Beauty Salon $40.57 $45.56

Detailed Waterloo Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Waterloo Illinois
Ground Beef $6.4 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.36 $1.57
Milk $4.5 $4.67
Potatoes $5.28 $4.93
Pizza $10.84 $12.09
Beer $9.47 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Waterloo Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Waterloo Illinois
Optometrist $125.72 $125.68
Doctor $124.51 $135.78
Dentist $100.78 $113.29

Detailed Waterloo Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Waterloo Illinois
Gasoline $3.2 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.0 $59.92

Detailed Waterloo Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Waterloo Illinois
All Electricity $133.84 $193.99
Phone $188.69 $192.25

Waterloo SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
7
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
4
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
8.5
Commute
6

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:

  • Belleville, IL has a cost of living index of 83, 0.9x Waterloo.

  • Oakville, MO has a cost of living index of 100, 1.1x Waterloo.

  • Affton, MO has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Waterloo.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Waterloo
Belleville, IL 41,722 83 0.9x
Oakville, MO 35,166 100 1.1x
Affton, MO 20,035 93 1.0x
Concord, MO 18,028 102 1.1x
Fairview Heights, IL 16,255 94 1.0x
Swansea, IL 14,603 93 1.0x
Shiloh, IL 14,109 101 1.1x
Columbia, IL 11,063 99 1.1x
Sunset Hills, MO 9,113 137 1.5x
Shrewsbury, MO 6,328 96 1.0x

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