Waterloo housing market
Typical home value
$198K
▲ 0.9% 1 yr
Typical rent
$1,023/mo
▲ 4.1% 1 yr
12-month forecast
+2.4%
#219 of 546 metros
Gross rent yield
6.2%
#231 of 546 · U.S. 6.3%
Days to pending
40 days
▲ +5 days 1 yr
Listings with a price cut
28%
▲ +0.6 pts 1 yr
Key takeaways
- 1The typical home is worth $197,585, up 0.9% in a year and up 26% over five years.
- 2Zillow forecasts home values rising 2.4% over the next 12 months (U.S.: +1.1%).
- 3Typical rent is $1,023/mo (+4.1% YoY), a 6.2% gross yield, below the U.S. 6.3%.
- 4At 7.32% with 20% down, the typical home costs $1,086/mo in principal and interest, $63 more than renting.
- 5Homes go under contract in 40 days (+5 days vs last year); 28% of listings have had a price cut.
Market temperature
Buyer's market
Buyer'sNeutralSeller's
Zillow Market Heat Index: 43/100, #233 hottest of 546 metros. Below 44 favors buyers; above 55 favors sellers.
Home values and rent
How fast homes are selling
For saleNew listings
Affordability
To buy (20% down)To rent
Source: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI and market activity data).
How Waterloo compares
| Measure | Waterloo | United States | Rank of 546 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home value, 1-yr change | +0.9% | +1.2% | #379 |
| Home value, 5-yr change | +26.0% | +19.7% | |
| 12-month forecast | +2.4% | +1.1% | #219 |
| Rent, 1-yr change | +4.1% | +2.7% | #188 |
| Gross rent yield | 6.2% | 6.3% | #231 |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 16.1 | 15.8 | |
| Mortgage P&I on typical home | $1,086 | $2,012 | |
| Income needed to buy | $61,154 | $100,902 | |
| Days to pending | 40 | 56 |
Cities in the Waterloo metro
2 cities with home value and rent data.
| Waterloo | $146K | ▼ 0.1% | $909 | ▲ 5.1% | 7.5% |
| Cedar Falls | $266K | ▲ 1.6% | $1,405 | ▲ 4.1% | 6.3% |
Run the numbers
Rental property calculator
Cash flow on a typical Waterloo rental ($198K, $1,023/mo), pre-filled.
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment on a typical Waterloo home.
Rent vs buy
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Waterloo?
Other Iowa metros
Des Moines, IA
$293K home$1,280 rent5.3% yield
▲ 0.5% 1 yr
Cedar Rapids, IA
$247K home$1,226 rent6.0% yield
▲ 3.9% 1 yr
Iowa City, IA
$300K home$1,757 rent7.0% yield
▲ 3.0% 1 yr
Sioux City, IA
$224K home$1,295 rent6.9% yield
▲ 3.4% 1 yr
Ames, IA
$277K home$1,162 rent5.0% yield
▲ 2.6% 1 yr
Dubuque, IA
$277K home$1,063 rent4.6% yield
▲ 4.3% 1 yr
Gross yield = 12 × typical rent ÷ typical home value, before expenses. Mortgage estimate: 20% down, 30-year fixed at the current Freddie Mac average, principal and interest only. Forecast: Zillow Home Value Forecast. Data refreshed Oct 26, 2026.