Mason City vs Waterloo
Mason City, 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.
Mason City edges out Waterloo on overall objective livability (53 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Mason City | Waterloo |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $61k | $54k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $41k |
| Home Value | $126k | $142k |
| Monthly Rent | $841 | $865 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.61% | 1.73% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.61% | 12.83% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 7.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 16°F | 19°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.7 in | 38.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 44.4 in | 39.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 224 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 90 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 73.1 | 23.4 |
| Air Quality | 23 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 79.9 | 60.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1210/100k | 1764/100k |
| Property Crime | 2128/100k | 2505/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 27,271 | 67,256 |
| Median Age | 43.1 | 36.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.17 | 0.47 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 87.4% | 67.8% |
| Black (%) | 2.2% | 17.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.6% | 7.1% |
| Asian (%) | 0.8% | 2.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 13.6/20 | 9.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 120 mi | 171 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.4% | 84.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 18.70 | 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 Mason City or Waterloo more affordable?
- Waterloo has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Mason City's $43k and Waterloo's $41k. Median rent is $841 in Mason City versus $865 in Waterloo.
- Is Mason City or Waterloo safer?
- Mason City has the lower violent crime rate. Mason City reports 1210/100k and Waterloo reports 1764/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Mason City or Waterloo?
- The median home value is $126k in Mason City and $142k in Waterloo, so homes are more affordable in Mason City.