Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on June 28, 2026
Average rent in
Waterloo, IA
Average rent in
Last updated on June 28, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Waterloo, IA rent slipped 3.4% year over year to a current median of $850/month. Renters are paying $222 less per month on average than last year, though rent ticked up 3.0% month over month in June 2026.
Vs. national rents
Waterloo rents run roughly 0.44 times the $1,950/month national median, placing it well below the national median in price compared to many other metros.
Price ranges
Studios in Waterloo rent for $600/month, 1-bedrooms for $650/month, and 2-bedrooms for $850/month, with 3-bedrooms at $1,100/month and 4+ bedrooms at $1,250/month. Houses have a median rent of $998/month while apartments sit at $775/month.
Neighborhood spotlight
Downtown Waterloo rents fell 22.2% year over year to $1,050/month across 27 rentals. This decline contrasts with the citywide 3.4% drop, showing a localized cooldown in the downtown area.
Median rent
Median rent in Waterloo
$850/mo
3%vs previous year
The average rent in Waterloo is $850 per month as of June 2026. This is 56% below the national average rent, or $1,100 less per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Waterloo
214
for rent on Zumper.com as of June 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Waterloo rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Waterloo, IA
Average rent prices in Waterloo have increased by 3% 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 $775, whereas a house costs $997. 1-bedroom apartments in Waterloo run $650 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $825.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $600 | No Change | 30% | |
1 bedroom | $650 |  2% | No Change | |
2 bedroom | $850 | 2% | 3% | |
3 bedroom | $1,100 | 5% | 42% | |
4 bedroom | $1,250 | 5% | 3% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Church Row Historic | $660 | |
Cityview | $785 | |
Common Grounds | $900 | |
Downtown Waterloo | $1,050 | |
Franklin Gateway | $750 | |
Gates Park | $950 | |
Maples | $850 | |
Park Haven | $850 | |
Roosevelt | $775 | |
Unity | $837 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $775 | 1% | No Change | |
Condos | $1,275 | 6% | No Change | |
Houses | $997 | 3% | No Change | |
Rooms | $640 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$600
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
30%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$650
Last 30 days
2%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$850
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
3%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$1,100
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
42%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$1,250
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
3%
Church Row Historic
Average rent
$660
Downtown Waterloo
Average rent
$1,050
Common Grounds
Average rent
$900
Gates Park
Average rent
$950
Franklin Gateway
Average rent
$750
Park Haven
Average rent
$850
Cityview
Average rent
$785
Maples
Average rent
$850
Unity
Average rent
$837
Roosevelt
Average rent
$775
Apartments
Average rent
$775
Last 30 days
1%
Condos
Average rent
$1,275
Last 30 days
6%
Houses
Average rent
$997
Last 30 days
3%
Rooms
Average rent
$640
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
56%lower than the national median
44%lower than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Waterloo, IA is 22% lower than the median rent in Altoona, IA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$1,093
27%$1,200
3%$1,100
12%$1,300
2%$1,200
$1,200
7%$1,042
22%$850
7%$1,032
8%$1,450
4%$1,450
6%$1,160
4%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 & Services | 10% lower |
| Groceries | 3% lower |
| Health | 9% lower |
| Housing | 12% lower |
| Transportation | 10% lower |
| Utilities | 17% lower |
Discover rentals in Waterloo, IA
9h ago
1815 Lafayette St, Waterloo, IA 50703
1 bed
1 bath
$400
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
6025 Donegal Cir, Waterloo, IA 50701
4 beds
2 baths
$450
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in Waterloo
302 Clay St, Waterloo, IA 50703
2 beds
1 bath
$600
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in Waterloo
225 Miriam Dr #A, Waterloo, IA 50702
2 beds
1 bath
$625
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
45 W Jefferson St, Waterloo, IA 50701
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,360–$2,500
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Waterloo
1429 Columbus Dr #NA, Waterloo, IA 50702
3 beds
2 baths
$2,195
House for rent
Available Jun 1
5d+ ago
House for rent in Waterloo
3 beds
2.5 baths
$1,975
House for rent
5d+ ago
Condo for rent in Waterloo
3 beds
2.5 baths
$1,975
Condo for rent
1d ago
1867 Pinehurst Ct, Waterloo, IA 50701
2 beds
1 bath
$1,200
Condo for rent
2d ago
250 W Hills Ln, Waterloo, IA 50701
2 beds
2 baths
$1,295
Apartment for rent
2d ago
3729 W 9th St, Waterloo, IA 50702
2 beds
1 bath
$850
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Waterloo
3 beds
1 bath
$1,075
House for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
6025 Donegal Cir, Waterloo, IA 50701
4 beds
2 baths
$450
Apartment for rent
19h ago
Verified
1008 Leavitt St, Waterloo, IA 50702
2 beds
1 bath
$920
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
1014 Leavitt St, Waterloo, IA 50702
2 beds
1 bath
$920–$1,200
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
1024 Leavitt St, Waterloo, IA 50702
2 beds
1 bath
$895
Apartment for rent
1d ago
1111 Langley Rd, Waterloo, IA 50702
2 beds
1 bath
$815
Apartment for rent
1d ago
765 Russell Rd, Waterloo, IA 50701
2 beds
1 bath
$775
Apartment for rent
1d ago
130 Sherwood Ct, Waterloo, IA 50701
1 bed
1 bath
$625
Apartment for rent
2d ago
1211 Langley Rd, Waterloo, IA 50702
2 beds
1 bath
$815
Apartment for rent
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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 $850 per month as of June 27, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Waterloo?
Average rent prices in Waterloo have increased by 3% 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 56% below the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,100 less per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Waterloo?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Waterloo are Church Row Historic ($660/mo), Franklin Gateway ($750/mo), and Roosevelt ($775/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Waterloo?
To comfortably afford rent in Waterloo, you'd need to earn approximately $34,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Waterloo?
Waterloo's 2025 rental market shows one-bedroom apartments averaging around $670 per month, while two-bedroom units average around $860 monthly. These figures represent increases of 1.9% and 2.1% respectively from the previous year.
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).