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Living in
Cedar Falls.
About
Life in Cedar Falls
Living in Cedar Falls means settling into a college town that's quieter and more affordable than many comparable communities, with a median home value around $263,600 and median rent under $1,200. The University of Northern Iowa anchors the local economy and shapes the character of the place—you'll notice a younger demographic mixed with established families, and plenty of cultural programming from Broadway shows to community theater. The job market is solid with 3.1% unemployment, and a 49% college degree rate suggests an educated population, though that's partly due to the university presence.
Cedar Falls at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
29.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.7%
Foreign-Born
3.4%
Broadband Internet
93.1%
of households
Population Growth
+1.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.4% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Cedar Falls: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Cedar Falls, the largest foreign-born group is from India (21.9%), and 1.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
17.4%
of residents
65 and Older
16.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
21.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.8%
of households
Married Couples
44.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.34
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 24% above IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Cedar Falls
In Cedar Falls, rent runs 24% above the IA average, and home values are 27% above the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
87.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,702
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1975
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $265,713 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below IA average
Unemployment in Cedar Falls
Unemployment in Cedar Falls is 0.4 percentage points lower than the IA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Cedar Falls Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14 min avg
How Cedar Falls residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Cedar Falls, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 93% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Waterloo Regional Airport (ALO)
Regional airport · few flights20k 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 59% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Cedar Falls runs 59% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
134.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,132.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Cedar Falls Police Department
Natural DisastersFlood most common — 19 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
76.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Black Hawk County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Black Hawk County, which includes Cedar Falls, the most common type is flood, with 19 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $134,000 |
| 2024 | 25 | Drought | $60,000 |
| 2023 | 12 | Drought | $2,000 |
| 2022 | 11 | Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | None reported |
| 2021 | 17 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 13 | Heavy Rain | $95,000 |
| 2019 | 20 | Flood | $1.2M |
| 2018 | 33 | Flood | $2.0M |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Black Hawk County, county-wide
Air Quality49 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Black Hawk County, which includes Cedar Falls, is typically good — 195 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
49
Good Days
195
per year
Moderate Days
168
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Black Hawk County, county-wide
Climate83°F summers, 14°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Cedar Falls has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 14°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
32°/14°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
36.3"
Annual Snowfall
39.1"
Hot Days/Year
15
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
150
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
114
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 11°F | 1.10" |
| Feb | 33°F | 15°F | 1.14" |
| Mar | 47°F | 27°F | 1.98" |
| Apr | 61°F | 38°F | 4.04" |
| May | 73°F | 50°F | 4.61" |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 5.72" |
| Jul | 85°F | 64°F | 4.34" |
| Aug | 83°F | 61°F | 4.17" |
| Sep | 77°F | 52°F | 3.14" |
| Oct | 63°F | 40°F | 2.76" |
| Nov | 47°F | 28°F | 1.85" |
| Dec | 34°F | 17°F | 1.44" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.0%
of residents
Sartori Memorial Hospital, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Allen Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.9 mi away · Waterloo
Mercyone Waterloo Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.7 mi away · Waterloo
Waverly Health Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 14.2 mi away · Waverly
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.
Education14.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls's student/teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 50.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
50.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Cedar Falls
Public · 4-year · 7,529 students · in-state tuition $10,201 · 68% graduate · median earnings $57,187 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 2,626 students · in-state tuition $6,786 · 37% graduate · median earnings $47,058 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,452 students · in-state tuition $27,300 · 67% graduate · median earnings $60,035 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 261 students · 90% graduate · median earnings $74,338 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Effigy Mounds National Monument, 75 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Effigy Mounds National Monument (75 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Effigy Mounds National Monument
National Monument
75 mi awayHerbert Hoover National Historic Site
National Historic Site
82 mi awayPublic Libraries in Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls Public Library
524 Main St, Cedar Falls
Cities Near Cedar Falls
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Cedar Falls?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Cedar Falls FAQ
Is Cedar Falls, Iowa affordable?⌄
Cedar Falls's median rent is $1,203/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $76,987/year. Median home value is $263,600.
Is Cedar Falls, Iowa safe?⌄
Cedar Falls's violent crime rate was 135 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1132 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Cedar Falls, Iowa?⌄
Cedar Falls has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Cedar Falls, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Cedar Falls is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,203/month and median household income is $76,987/year. The median home value is $263,600. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Cedar Falls, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Cedar Falls is 14 minutes, which is shorter than 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