Last updated on September 28, 2026

Average rent in
Waterloo, IA

Median rent

Median rent in Waterloo

$825/mo

decreased by3%

vs previous year

The average rent in Waterloo is $825 per month as of September 2026. This is 57% below the national average rent, or $1,075 less per month.

$1.15

average price per square foot

Total rentals

Available rentals in Waterloo

191

for rent on Zumper.com as of September 2026

Rent price distribution

Share of Waterloo rentals at each price point

60%45%30%15%0%
$0 - $750
$751 - $1,500
$1,501 - $2,250
$2,251 - $3,000
$3,001+

Rent trends in Waterloo, IA

Average rent prices in Waterloo have decreased by 5% over the last month and have decreased by 3% since last year.

Rent trends

Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.

Compare rent prices in Waterloo, IA

Rent prices in Waterloo vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Waterloo is $795, whereas a house costs $975. 1-bedroom apartments in Waterloo run $695 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $825.

Listings

Studio

$817

5%

1%

1 bedroom

$685

8%

3%

2 bedroom

$825

5%

3%

3 bedroom

$1,000

3%

1%

4 bedroom

$1,300

9%

16%

Studio

Average rent

$817

Last 30 days

5%

Last year

1%

1 bedroom

Average rent

$685

Last 30 days

8%

Last year

3%

2 bedroom

Average rent

$825

Last 30 days

5%

Last year

3%

3 bedroom

Average rent

$1,000

Last 30 days

3%

Last year

1%

4 bedroom

Average rent

$1,300

Last 30 days

9%

Last year

16%

The table above reflects average rent prices in Waterloo, IA, broken down by the number of bedrooms, neighborhoods, and property types. The availability of data for each category is dependent on market inventory and will adjust depending on your selected filters.

How does rent in Waterloo, IA compare to other cities?

Compare median rent prices in Waterloo and Altoona by all bedroom counts and property types.

Waterloo

Median rent price$825
decreased by57%

lower than the national median

Median rent price$1,100
decreased by42%

lower than the national median

Takeaway

The median rent for all rentals in Waterloo, IA is 25% lower than the median rent in Altoona, IA.

Cost of living in Waterloo, IA

Explore the cost of essential expenses, and then use our rent calculator to find out how much rent you can afford.

Expenses
accrued by most renters
Average cost
compared to national average
Goods & Services10% lower
Groceries3% lower
Health8% lower
Housing13% lower
Transportation11% lower
Utilities19% lower

Discover rentals in Waterloo, IA

1815 Lafayette St - Photo 1 of 1

2d ago

8

Very good

1815 Lafayette St

1815 Lafayette St, Waterloo, IA 50703

1 bed

1 bath

$400

Elevate Apartments at Hawkeye - Photo 1 of 1
Student housing
3D tour

5d+ ago

9.9

Excellent

Our team has verified this company

Verified

Elevate Apartments at Hawkeye

6025 Donegal Cir, Waterloo, IA 50701

4 beds

2 baths

$450

Call

302 Clay St - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Apartment for rent in Waterloo

2BR/1.0BA

302 Clay St, Waterloo, IA 50703

2 beds

1 bath

$600

243 Miriam Dr #D - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Apartment for rent in Waterloo

243 Miriam Dr - D

243 Miriam Dr #D, Waterloo, IA 50702

2 beds

1 bath

$625

Stay up to date with rental market insights

Are you interested in licensing our current and historical rental real estate data, or do you have custom data requests? Contact datalicensing@zumper.com.

Frequently asked questions for Waterloo, IA

Quick answers to common questions about the Waterloo rental market.

How much is rent in Waterloo?

The average rent in Waterloo is $825 per month as of September 26, 2026.

Is rent up or down in Waterloo?

Average rent prices in Waterloo have decreased by 5% over the last month and have decreased by 3% since last year.

How does Waterloo rent compare to the national average?

Rent in Waterloo is 57% below the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,075 less per month.

Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Waterloo?

The most affordable neighborhoods in Waterloo are Church Row Historic ($695/mo), Franklin Gateway ($800/mo), and Unity ($800/mo).

What salary do I need to afford rent in Waterloo?

To comfortably afford rent in Waterloo, you'd need to earn approximately $33,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.

When is the best time of year to rent in Waterloo?

April offers the best rental prices in Waterloo, with rents running about 7% lower than July's peak pricing, though you'll face higher competition for available units.

Methodology

Rent prices are based on Zumper's rental listings from the past 30 days. Median rent is calculated across all available listings and property types on the platform. If you filter the page by bedroom count or property type, the pricing throughout the page will update automatically to reflect that segment of the rental market.

Household and population data come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cost-of-living data is sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index (COLI).

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