United States › Illinois › Waterloo CITY
Waterloo Illinois · 11,132 residents (2025 est.) · 8.23 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Waterloo is a city of 11,129 people in Illinois. Few US cities rank higher on income. The population is up 46% since 2000. 78% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 3%. Median rent is $886 a month.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.5
US median: 38.9
Average education
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 7,614 in 2000
11,132 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,352 / sq mi
+15%since 2009
from 1,172 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 6K 8K 10K 12K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Waterloo Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $98,711
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $46,938 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $21,081 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 42.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 3.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.409 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 10.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.4%
Education & health services 3.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$249,500
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $118,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$886
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $543 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.1% in 2000
21.8% rent
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.57 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 32.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.1 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98.4%(7,495)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(52)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94.1%(10,470)
Hispanic / Latino 1.8%(200)
from 9 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data from 19.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 85.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 21.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 81.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 10.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 8.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 76.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 29.9%(1,342)
Women 15+
Never married 22.4%(1,055)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 8.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 9.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 83.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 28.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 23%(177)
Gulf War (1990s) 38.8%(298)
Share of the 768 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Waterloo Head to head
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Waterloo, Illinois? Waterloo, Illinois has about 11,129 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Waterloo, Illinois? The typical household in Waterloo, Illinois earns about $98,711 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Waterloo, Illinois expensive? In Waterloo, Illinois, the median home is worth about $249,500, and the typical rent is about $886 a month.
How educated are people in Waterloo, Illinois? About 37.3% of adults age 25 and over in Waterloo, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Waterloo, Illinois? About 5.9% of people in Waterloo, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Waterloo, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Waterloo, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,057 residents, a change of about 119 percent over that period.
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