Bloomington receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Bloomington
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 20%
vs56 · Top 49%
Growth
54 · Top 42%
vs58 · Top 37%
Climate
56 · Bottom 16%
vs60 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 21%
vs81 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
98 · Top 7%
vs97 · Top 12%
Economic stability
72 · Top 23%
vs72 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Waterloo-Cedar Falls | Bloomington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 168,637 | 171,556 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,811 | $79,905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,690 | $43,372 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 112/sq mi | 145/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $194,800 | $208,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $977 | $1,009 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.5% | 65.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.0% | 47.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% | 12.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 542 | 667 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 45.3% | 131.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.3" | 39.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 19.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.8 | 34.3 | 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
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Bloomington
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
71
Your Score
65
Area Score
Bloomington
75
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Metro Area · Bloomington, IL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology