Marion vs Waterloo
Marion, Iowa versus Waterloo, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Marion and Waterloo score about the same overall (49 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Marion | Waterloo |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $82k | $54k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $41k |
| Home Value | $208k | $142k |
| Monthly Rent | $906 | $865 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.79% | 1.73% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.85% | 12.83% |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 7.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 19°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.8 in | 38.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.3 in | 39.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 93 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 56.2 | 23.4 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.3 | 60.0 |
| Violent Crime | 682/100k | 1764/100k |
| Property Crime | 1230/100k | 2505/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 41,401 | 67,256 |
| Median Age | 39.2 | 36.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.18 | 0.47 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+14 | Even |
| White (%) | 89.3% | 67.8% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 17.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.3% | 7.1% |
| Asian (%) | 1.7% | 2.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 13.0/20 | 9.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 189 mi | 171 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.2% | 84.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 41.54 | 30.03 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Marion or Waterloo more affordable?
- Waterloo has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Marion's $43k and Waterloo's $41k. Median rent is $906 in Marion versus $865 in Waterloo.
- Is Marion or Waterloo safer?
- Marion has the lower violent crime rate. Marion reports 682/100k and Waterloo reports 1764/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Marion or Waterloo?
- The median home value is $208k in Marion and $142k in Waterloo, so homes are more affordable in Waterloo.