Marshalltown vs Waterloo
Marshalltown, 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.
Marshalltown 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 | Marshalltown | Waterloo |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $65k | $54k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $41k |
| Home Value | $110k | $142k |
| Monthly Rent | $832 | $865 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.83% | 1.73% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.38% | 12.83% |
| Unemployment | 6.8% | 7.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 19°F | 19°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.4 in | 38.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 25.3 in | 39.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 92 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 55.8 | 23.4 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.8 | 60.0 |
| Violent Crime | 955/100k | 1764/100k |
| Property Crime | 1212/100k | 2505/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 27,511 | 67,256 |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 36.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.47 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 55.7% | 67.8% |
| Black (%) | 2.3% | 17.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 33.6% | 7.1% |
| Asian (%) | 5.2% | 2.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 13.0/20 | 9.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 162 mi | 171 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.2% | 84.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 12.00 | 30.03 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | 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 Marshalltown or Waterloo more affordable?
- Waterloo has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Marshalltown's $43k and Waterloo's $41k. Median rent is $832 in Marshalltown versus $865 in Waterloo.
- Is Marshalltown or Waterloo safer?
- Marshalltown has the lower violent crime rate. Marshalltown reports 955/100k and Waterloo reports 1764/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Marshalltown or Waterloo?
- The median home value is $110k in Marshalltown and $142k in Waterloo, so homes are more affordable in Marshalltown.