Signals
Cedar Falls
Waverly
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 46%
vs50 · Bottom 38%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 31%
vs57 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
73 · Top 22%
vs81 · Top 13%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 46%
vs60 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | Cedar Falls | Waverly | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,888 | 10,494 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,987 | $80,284 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,428 | $43,064 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,388/sq mi | 932/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $263,600 | $223,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,203 | $1,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.0% | 69.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.4% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.4% | 44.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 10.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.3" | 36.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.5 min | 18.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.3 | 32.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.28 | 14.78 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 75.4% | 80.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 77.7% | 75.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.4% | 21.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cedar Falls
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Waverly
Elevated or high exposure: drought, cold wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Cedar Falls
69
Your Score
66
Area Score
Waverly
72
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Cedar Falls, IA · Waverly, IA · How this is calculated: methodology