Cost of living in the Waterloo Metro Area
3 counties across IA. Population: 168,163.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Waterloo Metro Area
Average rent across the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Waterloo Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 3 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Waterloo Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Waterloo Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 3 counties in the Waterloo Metro Area
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area includes 3 counties. Sorted by population.
- Black Hawk County IA$2,726/moPop130,693 Rent$760/mo Income$64,581/yrBlack Hawk County IA 130,693 $760/mo $64,581/yr $2,726/mo
- Bremer County IA$2,784/moPop25,118 Rent$701/mo Income$83,343/yrBremer County IA 25,118 $701/mo $83,343/yr $2,784/mo
- Grundy County IA$2,893/moPop12,352 Rent$760/mo Income$83,617/yrGrundy County IA 12,352 $760/mo $83,617/yr $2,893/mo
Compare counties in the Waterloo Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Waterloo Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Waterloo Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area is approximately $2,747 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 3 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Waterloo Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area is $751 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Waterloo Metro Area?
Black Hawk County, IA is the most affordable county in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area at approximately $2,726 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Waterloo Metro Area?
Grundy County, IA is the most expensive county in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area at approximately $2,893 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Waterloo Metro Area?
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area covers 3 counties. The five largest by population are Black Hawk County, Bremer County, Grundy County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.