Waterloo-Cedar Falls receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Pocatello
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 19%
vs40 · Bottom 20%
Growth
76 · Top 11%
vs54 · Top 42%
Climate
56 · Bottom 13%
vs56 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 42%
vs75 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
83 · Bottom 23%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
89 · Top 25%
vs98 · Top 7%
Economic stability
70 · Top 25%
vs72 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Pocatello | Waterloo-Cedar Falls | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 89,454 | 168,637 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,499 | $70,811 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,866 | $38,690 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 80/sq mi | 112/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $300,700 | $194,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $960 | $977 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.5% | 69.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.9% | -3.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.6% | 31.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 13.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 581 | 542 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 47.5% | 45.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.8" | 36.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 18.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.2 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Pocatello
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Pocatello
68
Your Score
63
Area Score
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
71
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Pocatello, ID Metro Area · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology