Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on August 12, 2026
Average rent in
Waterloo, IA
Average rent in
Last updated on August 12, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
Where Waterloo rent stands today
Waterloo, IA rent slipped 2.9% year over year, with a current median of $850/month. Renters today are paying $233 less per month on average than last year, despite a 5.9% month-over-month increase this August.
Compared to national trends
Waterloo sits 55.8% more affordable than the $1,925/month national median, reflecting its position as a lower-cost market with 191 total rentals available.
Rent ranges by bedroom
Studio rents in Waterloo are around $700/month, 1-bedrooms at $650/month, and 2-bedrooms at $850/month. Larger units include 3-bedrooms at $1,050/month and 4+ bedrooms at $1,200/month.
Price ranges
Houses rent for a median of $978/month while apartments are lower at $785/month. Apartments make up 62.9% of total rentals, with houses at 34.7% and condos at 2.0%.
Median rent
Median rent in Waterloo
$850/mo
3%vs previous year
The average rent in Waterloo is $850 per month as of August 2026. This is 56% below the national average rent, or $1,075 less per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Waterloo
191
for rent on Zumper.com as of August 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 6% 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 $785, whereas a house costs $977. 1-bedroom apartments in Waterloo run $650 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $825.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $700 | No Change | 9% | |
1 bedroom | $650 |  5% | No Change | |
2 bedroom | $850 | 2% | 7% | |
3 bedroom | $1,050 | 2% | 43% | |
4 bedroom | $1,200 | 3% | 5% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Church Row Historic | $650 | |
Common Grounds | $900 | |
Downtown Waterloo | $1,075 | |
Franklin Gateway | $1,015 | |
Gates Park | $995 | |
Maples | $1,000 | |
Park Haven | $850 | |
Riverfront | $962 | |
Roosevelt | $975 | |
Unity | $965 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $785 | 4% | No Change | |
Condos | $1,200 | 6% | 33% | |
Houses | $977 | 1% | No Change | |
Rooms | $640 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$700
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
9%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$650
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
No Change
2 bedroom
Average rent
$850
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
7%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$1,050
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
43%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$1,200
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
5%
Church Row Historic
Average rent
$650
Downtown Waterloo
Average rent
$1,075
Franklin Gateway
Average rent
$1,015
Common Grounds
Average rent
$900
Riverfront
Average rent
$962
Park Haven
Average rent
$850
Gates Park
Average rent
$995
Maples
Average rent
$1,000
Roosevelt
Average rent
$975
Unity
Average rent
$965
Apartments
Average rent
$785
Last 30 days
4%
Condos
Average rent
$1,200
Last 30 days
6%
Last year
33%
Houses
Average rent
$977
Last 30 days
1%
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 21% lower than the median rent in Altoona, IA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$1,075
25%$1,200
2%$1,230
19%$1,330
1%$1,150
$1,250
4%$877
8%$800
2%$1,040
2%$1,650
6%$1,385
$1,037
1%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
1d ago
Verified
6025 Donegal Cir, Waterloo, IA 50701
4 beds
2 baths
$450
Apartment for rent
23h ago
House for rent in Waterloo
1703 Lafayette St #1, Waterloo, IA 50703
2 beds
1 bath
$650
$600
Price drop
House for rent
Available Jul 16
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
303 Franklin St #2, Waterloo, IA 50703
2 beds
1 bath
$625
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Waterloo
1915 Mayfair St #1, Waterloo, IA 50701
4 beds
2.5 baths
$2,100
House for rent
Available Sep 1
5d+ ago
Verified
2 beds
2 baths
$2,000
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Park Haven house for rent in Waterloo
3029 Saratoga Dr #1, Waterloo, IA 50702
3 beds
2 baths
$1,900
House for rent
Available Jul 15
19h ago
Verified
45 W Jefferson St, Waterloo, IA 50701
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,360–$1,850
Apartment for rent
15h ago
Apartment for rent in Waterloo
804 804 - 806 Heartland Hills, Waterloo, IA 50701
3 beds
2 baths
$1,500
Apartment for rent
19h ago
House for rent in Waterloo
2 beds
1 bath
$1,000
House for rent
1d ago
230 W Hills Ln, Waterloo, IA 50701
2 beds
2 baths
$1,295
Apartment for rent
2d ago
House for rent in Waterloo
3 beds
1.5 baths
$1,300
House for rent
1d ago
Verified
6025 Donegal Cir, Waterloo, IA 50701
4 beds
2 baths
$450
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
1024 Leavitt St, Waterloo, IA 50702
2 beds
1 bath
$920
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
1008 Leavitt St, Waterloo, IA 50702
2 beds
1 bath
$920
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
1014 Leavitt St, Waterloo, IA 50702
2 beds
1 bath
$920
Apartment for rent
21h ago
821 W 8th St, Waterloo, IA 50702
1 bed
1 bath
$675
Apartment for rent
22h ago
3621 Sager Ave, Waterloo, IA 50701
2 beds
1 bath
$660–$685
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Apartment for rent in Waterloo
3739 W 9th St, Waterloo, IA 50702
2 beds
1 bath
$845
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Mullan Townhomes, Waterloo, IA 50701
2 beds
1 bath
$650
Apartment for rent
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 $850 per month as of August 8, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Waterloo?
Average rent prices in Waterloo have increased by 6% 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 $1,075 less per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Waterloo?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Waterloo are Church Row Historic ($650/mo), Park Haven ($850/mo), and Common Grounds ($900/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?
Based on Zumper's July 2026 data, one-bedroom apartments in Waterloo average around $660/month and two-bedrooms approximately $850/month.
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).