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