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Living in
Waterloo.
About
Life in Waterloo
Waterloo is a community of 11,055 people in Illinois. The median household income is $98,711, median rent runs about $886 per month, and median home values are around $249,500. Unemployment is low at 3.1%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Waterloo at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Foreign-Born
2.7%
Broadband Internet
94.6%
of households
Population Growth
+1.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Waterloo: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Waterloo, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (33.3%), and 1.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.9%
of residents
65 and Older
20.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.5%
of households
Married Couples
54.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.43
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 30% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Waterloo
In Waterloo, rent runs 30% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,198
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
78.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $322,794 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.6 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Waterloo and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Monroe County, which includes Waterloo, is 1.6 percentage points lower than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
Waterloo: Monroe County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Monroe County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Waterloo Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
St. Louis, MO-IL metro area
Commute26.8 min avg
How Waterloo residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Waterloo, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 50% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport (BLV)
Regional airport · few flights193k passengers boarded in 2025
- 31 mi
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
Medium hub7.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 65% below national average
Crime rates for 2019
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2019. It's compared with the national rate for 2019.
Violent crime in Waterloo runs 65% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
133.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (381 national, 2019)
Property Crime Rate
580.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (2,109 national, 2019)
Waterloo Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
41.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Monroe County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Monroe County, which includes Waterloo, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Hail | $259,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Hail | $16,000 |
| 2023 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $7,000 |
| 2022 | 4 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2021 | 2 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2020 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Monroe County, county-wide
Air Quality55 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in St. Louis city, MO (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 21 miles from Waterloo) is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
55
Good Days
125
per year
Moderate Days
232
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: St. Louis city, MO (21 mi away)
Climate87°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Waterloo has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
67°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
44°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.1"
Annual Snowfall
8.8"
Hot Days/Year
38
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
105
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
99
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 22°F | 2.68" |
| Feb | 46°F | 25°F | 2.51" |
| Mar | 56°F | 34°F | 4.00" |
| Apr | 68°F | 44°F | 4.91" |
| May | 76°F | 54°F | 4.76" |
| Jun | 85°F | 63°F | 4.74" |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 3.83" |
| Aug | 87°F | 65°F | 3.59" |
| Sep | 81°F | 57°F | 3.38" |
| Oct | 70°F | 46°F | 2.83" |
| Nov | 56°F | 35°F | 3.54" |
| Dec | 45°F | 27°F | 2.80" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Waterloo
Uninsured
3.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Waterloo's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Red Bud Regional Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 12.4 mi away · Red Bud
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Waterloo
Waterloo's student/teacher ratio is 16.3:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 37.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
37.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site, 18 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Waterloo
Waterloo has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site (18 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site
National Historic Site
18 mi awayGateway Arch National Park
National Park
20 mi awaySte. Geneviève National Historical Park
National Historical Park
26 mi awayPublic Libraries in Waterloo
Morrison-Talbott Library
215 Park Street, Waterloo
Cities Near Waterloo
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Waterloo?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Waterloo FAQ
Is Waterloo, Illinois affordable?⌄
Waterloo's median rent is $886/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $98,711/year. Median home value is $249,500.
Is Waterloo, Illinois safe?⌄
Waterloo's violent crime rate was 133 per 100,000 residents in 2019, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 381/100k that year. Property crime rate is 580 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Waterloo, Illinois?⌄
Monroe County, which includes Waterloo, has an unemployment rate of 3.0%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Waterloo, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Waterloo is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $886/month and median household income is $98,711/year. The median home value is $249,500. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Waterloo, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Waterloo is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from