Affordable Waterloo Storage Units

Moving and storage go hand in hand. Whether traveling across town or the country, moving is an exciting and fresh start. While Storage Rentals of America is here to help you with all your storage needs, we also want to help you get familiar with the area. That's why we put together this resource guide for Waterloo, Iowa.

About Waterloo, IA

Waterloo is in the heartland of America. It is a beautiful town with a population of 67,314 (2020 census). Waterloo is the county seat of Black Hawk County.

The Cedar River runs through the center of the town. It is possible to walk down the riverbank in some areas. There is a lovely view of downtown Waterloo from the Cedar River's west bank, making a nice photo op for visitors.

The Hanna family founded the town in 1845 near two Native American camps on the Cedar River, which the Meskwaki tribe built. It grew due to the Illinois Central Railroad that connected the town to other parts of America during the 20th century, allowing the shipping of agricultural products.

What to do in Waterloo, IA

There is a nice variety of things to do and places to visit.

• Garden: The Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens is a beautiful 40-acre public park in the southeastern part of the community. This garden is a terrific place for a picnic on a nice day.
• Museum: Waterloo is known for tractors. This town was where the first John Deere factory came into being. Kids love the hands-on exhibits at the John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum, which offers free guided tours.
• Shopping: The Crossroads Mall is the largest shopping center in the town. For local arts & crafts, visit the Plaid Peacock to see the collection of bronze statues and other art created by local artists.
• Phelps Youth Pavilion: This interactive art gallery and exhibition is a great place to take your grandchildren. There are many fun things to explore, and touching them is encouraged.
• George Wyth State Park: This park is a popular urban sanctuary during summer. It has a lake with a swimming beach and a fishing pier. It offers many outdoor activities.

Working in Waterloo, IA

The three industries that now create the local economy are health care, education, and machinery manufacturing. The area has a 5.6% unemployment rate compared to the average 6% unemployment rate in America.

Household income is about $41,461, which is poor. Future job growth should be approximately 19.9% over the next decade, much lower than the U.S. average projected growth rate of 33.5% over the next ten years.

The biggest employers include health care (11.0%), educational institutions (7.8%), machinery manufacturing (6.3%), hospitality (5.8%), construction (5.8%), food services (5.5%), and finance/insurance (4.8%).

Waterloo, IA Neighborhoods

The most expensive neighborhoods in Waterloo are Audubon, Waterloo West, and Ridgeway Towers. These areas are all on the southwestern side of the town.

• Audubon: This neighborhood has the Robinson and Robertson Bird Sanctuaries, superb for bird watching. Golfers appreciate the Sunnyside Golf & Country Club and the Irv Warren Memorial Golf Course. The median price of a three- or four-bedroom home is $253,842.
• Waterloo West: This area comes in second, with the median home price of $222,272. One distinctive feature of this neighborhood is the Leonard Katoski Greenbelt Park. It has a dog park and a 2.5-mile walking/jogging trail. It is an easy exercise route to complete in just under one hour.
• Ridgeway Towers: This area has apartment complexes and high-rise buildings mixed with single-family residences. The median sales price is $213,038. Most homes have three or four bedrooms. The vacancy rate is 6.7%, so apartments are usually available to rent for an average of $1,142 monthly for a two- or three-bedroom place.

Waterloo, IA School District

The Waterloo Community School District manages over 10,000 students in the 18 public schools and a Career Center. The school district allocates $14,314 per year for each student. The ratio of students-to-teacher is 13.55 to 1.

You will find eight private schools in the area. The ones with the best online reviews are Cedar Valley Catholic Schools (PK to 12th grade), Blessed Maria Assunta Pallotta Middle School (sixth to eighth grade), and the Blessed Sacrament School (PK to fifth grade).

The two-year Hawkeye Community College and the private four-year Allen College are in Waterloo. The University of Northern Iowa is near Waterloo, six miles to the northwest of downtown Waterloo.

Moving to Waterloo, IA

Moving to Waterloo means connecting the utilities for your new place. Electricity and natural gas come from the MidAmerican Energy Company. Water and sewer services come from the City of Waterloo. Garbage collection services come from the city’s Sanitation Department. There are many telecommunications companies to consider that provide services for Waterloo residents.

The City of Waterloo Leisure Services Commission manages and maintains the city’s parks, nature preserves, golf courses, recreational trails, and urban forests.

The local political system includes a mayor and seven city council members. The city council members are all elected representatives, one from each ward (district) of the city. The next election for the mayor and city council members is in 2023.

Waterloo, IA Housing

Home prices have remained unchanged over the past few years. The median home price is $134,900. Waterloo has affordable multi-family properties. At the top end of the real estate market, some luxury mansions of 5,000 square feet or larger with four bedrooms and six bathrooms sell for around $899,000.

The low cost of real estate contributes to the lower cost of living in this area. The cost of living in Waterloo is 8% less than the statewide average in Iowa. It is 18% less when compared to the average of all the cities across the USA.