The story of this market
The typical home in Waterloo, Iowa sells for about $178,750, or $118 per square foot.
Prices are up +9.4% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 28.4 days to sell, which is fast. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $924 a month.
Monthly price momentum
Home values since 2015
+1.5%
IA · past 12 months
Freddie Mac House Price Index, single-family homes, monthly through 2026-08. Each line starts at 100 in January 2015, so a reading of 180 means prices are up 80% since then.
Waterloo, Iowa
The Waterloo housing market shows signs of steady growth with a 9.4% year-over-year increase in median sale price, supported by a low months-of-supply figure of 2.5. While the city faces challenges regarding population stability and school performance, the market remains liquid and affordable compared to national benchmarks. Investors and families continue to find value in the city's stable industrial base and ongoing downtown revitalization efforts.
No ARED county foreclosure postings attributed to Waterloo yet — the verified ledger covers every county the foreclosure ingest has read, attributed by published city area. Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.
Deterministic aggregate of 3 researched ZIP reports — sales_count-weighted (population fallback); per point, children lacking the value or its weight are excluded. Tax rates, sentiment and context notes are tier-native and never roll.
Median prices moved up 3.0% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 31 days on market with 0.2 months of supply — a fast-moving market.
1% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 53.07% of asking — demand is holding steady.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 4.8% · poverty 16.6% — a stable, low-distress profile.
- Lost Island Waterpark4.53.6 mi
- Lost Island Themepark4.54 mi
- Get Air Trampoline Park4.33 mi
- Palmer's Family Fun4.73.8 mi
- Chuck E. Cheese4.24.5 mi
- UNI-Dome4.56.5 mi
- Young Arena4.70.4 mi
- Starbeck's Smokehouse4.40.6 mi
- McLeod Center4.76.5 mi
- Waterloo Convention Center4.30.2 mi
- Marcus Crossroads Cinema4.42.5 mi
- George Wyth State Park4.64.5 mi
- Maple Lanes Bowling Center4.51.9 mi
- Cadillac XBC4.41.3 mi
- Hickory Hills Park4.615.5 mi
- George Wyth State Park4.64.5 mi
- Hickory Hills Park4.615.5 mi
- Hartman Reserve Nature Center4.84.2 mi
- Place to Play Park4.96 mi
- Pfeiffer Springs Park4.65.1 mi
- Pheasant Ridge Golf Course4.37.7 mi
- Gates Park Golf Course4.42.3 mi
- South Hills Golf Course4.53.7 mi
- Prairie Links Golf Course & Event Center4.515.9 mi
- Irv Warren Memorial Golf Course4.41.5 mi
- Blain's Farm & Fleet4.45.2 mi
- Hy-Vee Grocery Store4.44.9 mi
- Kohl's4.24.6 mi
- Fleet Farm4.45.8 mi
- Ross Dress for Less44.8 mi
Theme parks, venues, golf, airports, museums, water and shopping across the area from Google Maps, ranked by popularity within the radius shown.
The amenity base that shapes daily life and property demand in this city — what residents actually live with, and what the pipeline is adding.
A major regional trail system that offers extensive biking and hiking opportunities, enhancing the quality of life for local residents.
The primary retail hub for the city, serving as a central destination for shopping and dining in the region.
A cultural anchor for the city, providing art exhibitions and community programming that supports local cultural engagement.
A scenic greenbelt along the river that provides recreational space and connects various parts of the city.
Waterloo is well-suited for budget-conscious family buyers and investors seeking entry-level housing opportunities, as the city offers a lower cost of living and a stable, if modest, housing market.
The Waterloo Community School District serves the city, with academic performance and school quality metrics often trailing state averages, prompting ongoing efforts to improve student outcomes and community partnerships.
The city is served by a network of state highways and local roads, with public transit options provided to support commuting within the urban area.
Waterloo offers a robust system of parks and trails, including the Cedar River Trail and Cedar Valley Nature Trail, which provide significant outdoor recreational opportunities for residents.
The rental market in Waterloo is characterized by relatively affordable pricing compared to state and national averages, with steady demand driven by the local workforce and students.
Waterloo's economy is anchored by manufacturing, healthcare, and education sectors, with ongoing efforts to diversify through business park development and economic incentives.
Waterloo serves as a regional economic hub with a diverse industrial base, though it faces challenges with population stability and infrastructure maintenance as it seeks to attract new business investment.
Development efforts are currently focused on downtown revitalization and the expansion of industrial and business parks to attract new employers.
Parcels in Waterloo are subject to standard municipal, county, and school district levies, with no widespread MUD/PID structures reported.
Waterloo experiences crime rates that are generally higher than the Iowa state average, with public safety remaining a primary focus for local leadership and community engagement efforts.
The city faces periodic flood risks associated with the Cedar River, necessitating active flood management and insurance considerations for properties located in low-lying areas.
Property insurance premiums in the area are influenced by regional weather patterns and flood risk assessments, particularly for properties near the Cedar River.
Composed from the ARED governance burden registry — tier-native tax structure (state + county + city + special districts), never averaged. State (Iowa) — Iowa Property Tax Assessment Limitation: The taxable value is determined by applying an assessment limitation (rollback) to the assessed market value. The limitation is calculated annually to restrict the growth in aggregate taxable value for the residential class to 3% statewide.
Researched annual trajectory for this city, from published historical series
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 6.1%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
Data retrieved from Census Reporter and US Census Bureau QuickFacts.
Public schools whose reported address is in this area (NCES). Not attendance boundaries — schools that serve residents may sit outside it. Check the district's address locator for assignment.