Waterloo, IA

Census Place

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2023 Population

66,947

0.459% 1-year decline

US Senator

N/AChuck Grassley

Republican Party

US Senator

N/AJoni Ernst

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

36.6

0.272% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

16.4%

5.7% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$56,344

4.14% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$150,200

5.77% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

32,280

0.765% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Waterloo, IA had a population of 66.9k people with a median age of 36.6 and a median household income of $56,344. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Waterloo, IA declined from 67,256 to 66,947, a −0.459% decrease and its median household income grew from $54,104 to $56,344, a 4.14% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Waterloo, IA are White (Non-Hispanic) (67.1%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (16.9%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.39%), Other (Hispanic) (3.54%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.63%).

None of the households in Waterloo, IA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95% of the residents in Waterloo, IA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in N/A are Hawkeye Community College (898 degrees awarded in 2023) and Allen College (217 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Waterloo, IA was $150,200, and the homeownership rate was 61.1%.

Most people in Waterloo, IA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 16.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Waterloo, IA was 2 cars per household.

United States Iowa Black Hawk County, IA Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Black Hawk County--Waterloo & Cedar Falls Cities PUMA, IA

Population & Diversity

Waterloo, IA is home to a population of 66.9k people, from which 95% are citizens. As of 2023, 9.34% of Waterloo, IA residents were born outside of the country (6.26k people).

In 2023, there were 3.96 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (45k people) in Waterloo, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 11.3k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.94k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95%

2023 Citizenship

94.8%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 95% of Waterloo, IA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Waterloo, IA was 94.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Waterloo, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Waterloo, IA

White (Non-Hispanic)
45k ± 651
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
11.3k ± 578
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
2.94k ± 549

7.61%

Hispanic Population

5.09k people

7.61% of the people in Waterloo, IA are hispanic (5.09k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Waterloo, IA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Iowa.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
42,604 ± 5,034 people
India
12,351 ± 2,723 people
Vietnam
7,795 ± 2,165 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Iowa was Mexico, the natal country of 42,604 Iowa residents, followed by India with 12,351 and Vietnam with 7,795.

Foreign-Born Population

9.34%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

6.26k people

9.17%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

6.17k people

As of 2023, 9.34% of Waterloo, IA residents (6.26k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Waterloo, IA was 9.17%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Waterloo, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,233 ± 224
Gulf War (2001-)
488 ± 144
Gulf War (1990s)
399 ± 147

Waterloo, IA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.53 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Waterloo, IA employs 32.3k people. The largest industries in Waterloo, IA are Manufacturing (6,515 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,424 people), and Retail Trade (4,312 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($100,114), Public Administration ($65,143), and Finance & Insurance ($54,153).

Males in Iowa have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $54,745. The income inequality in Iowa (measured using the Gini index) is 0.442, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

32.3k

2023 Value

± 1,293

0.765%

1 Year growth

± 5.52%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Waterloo, IA grew at a rate of 0.765%, from 32k employees to 32.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Waterloo, IA, are Production Occupations (4,067 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,297 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (2,899 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Waterloo, IA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Iowa (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

32.3k

2023 Value

± 1,293

0.765%

1 Year growth

± 5.52%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Waterloo, IA grew at a rate of 0.765%, from 32k employees to 32.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Waterloo, IA, are Manufacturing (6,515 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,424 people), and Retail Trade (4,312 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Waterloo, IA, though some of these residents may live in Waterloo, IA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$45,818

Median earning men ± $1,396

$35,374

Median earning women ± $1,224

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($65,714), Manufacturing ($51,148), and Construction ($50,518).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Construction ($57,679), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,425), and Public Administration ($54,545).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Y-Axis

1.48%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.57M people employed in Iowa. This represents a 1.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Iowa.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing the state of Iowa. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2024 Election Results

N/ADonald J. Trump (55.7%)
Republican Party
N/AKamala Harris (42.5%)
Democratic Party
N/ARobert Kennedy (0.789%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Iowa for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Iowa

N/AChuck Grassley

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 1981

N/AJoni Ernst

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing Iowa.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Iowa over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Iowa

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Iowa have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2023, universities in Waterloo, IA awarded 1,115 degrees. The student population of Waterloo, IA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 2,056 male students and 3,229 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Waterloo, IA are White (911 and 82.9%), followed by Two or More Races (49 and 4.46%), Black or African American (49 and 4.46%), and Hispanic or Latino (43 and 3.91%).

The largest universities in Waterloo, IA by number of degrees awarded are Hawkeye Community College (898 and 80.5%) and Allen College (217 and 19.5%).

The most popular majors in N/A are Liberal Arts & Sciences (226 and 20.3%), Registered Nursing (182 and 16.3%), and Farm Supplies Retail & Wholesaling (41 and 3.68%).

The median tuition cost in N/A for private four year colleges is $22,304.

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 5,285 students enrolled in Waterloo, IA, 38.9% men and 61.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in N/A with N/A records, of which N/A% were women and N/A% men.

Completions

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Hawkeye Community College
898 degrees awarded
Allen College
217 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Hawkeye Community College with 898 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 455 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Waterloo, IA, which is 0.689 times less than the 660 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 911 degrees mean that there were 18.6 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Two or More Races, with 49 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Measure

In 2022, 0.66% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.685% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (751k), Some college (564k), and Bachelors Degree (469k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Waterloo, IA was $150,200 in 2023, which is 0.495 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $142,000 to $150,200, a 5.77% increase. The homeownership rate in Waterloo, IA is 61.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Waterloo, IA have an average commute time of 16.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Waterloo, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Waterloo, IA is $56,344. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Waterloo, IA was Census Tract 15.03 with a value of $97,472, followed by Census Tract 29.01 and Census Tract 14, with respective values of $79,088 and $78,661.

Housing

Property

$150,200

Median Property Value 2023

±$4,953

$17,694

Median Property Taxes

±$863

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Waterloo, IA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Waterloo, IA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

61.1%

Homeownership

2023

63.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 61.1% of the housing units in Waterloo, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 60.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Waterloo, IA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 15.03
Census Tract 29.01
Census Tract 14

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Waterloo, IA was Census Tract 15.03 with a value of $97,472, followed by Census Tract 29.01 and Census Tract 14, with respective values of $79,088 and $78,661.

The following map shows all of the places in Waterloo, IA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$56,344

Median Household Income

± $1,488

28.9k

Number of Households

± 1,158

In 2023, the median household income of the 28.9k households in Waterloo, IA grew to $56,344 from the previous year's value of $54,104.

The following chart displays the households in Waterloo, IA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Waterloo, IA is from Iowa.

0.442

2022 Wage GINI in Iowa

0.439

2021 Wage GINI in Iowa

In 2022, the income inequality in Iowa was 0.442 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.723% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Iowa was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Iowa in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Iowa across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (77.8%)
Carpooled (12.1%)
Worked At Home (7.06%)

In 2023, 77.8% of workers in Waterloo, IA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12.1%) and those who worked at home (7.06%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

16.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Waterloo, IA have a shorter commute time (16.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.63% of the workforce in Waterloo, IA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Waterloo, IA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Waterloo, IA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Waterloo, IA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

16.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Waterloo, IA (10.8k out of 66k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Waterloo, IA is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.4% of the population of Waterloo, IA has health coverage, with 41.9% on employee plans, 27.3% on Medicaid, 12.6% on Medicare, 11.5% on non-group plans, and 1.19% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Black Hawk County, IA see 998 patients per year on average, which represents a 5.67% decrease from the previous year (1058 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1304 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 448 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Black Hawk County, IA.

998 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Black Hawk County, IA

Primary care physicians in Black Hawk County, IA see an average of 998 patients per year. This represents a 5.67% decrease from the previous year (1,058 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Black Hawk County, IA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26% under 18 years, 22% between 18 and 34 years, 35.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.63%

Uninsured

41.9%

Employer Coverage

27.3%

Medicaid

12.6%

Medicare

11.5%

Non-Group

1.19%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Waterloo, IA grew by 8.74% from 5.18% to 5.63%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Waterloo, IA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Keep Exploring

Iowa

State

Black Hawk County, IA

County

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

MSA

United States

Nation