Waterloo receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Waterloo
Ellisville
Opportunity
76 · Top 13%
vs75 · Top 14%
Growth
55 · Top 41%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
72 · Top 40%
vs70 · Bottom 49%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 40%
vs67 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs97 · Top 14%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
69 · Top 30%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Waterloo | Ellisville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,129 | 10,002 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,711 | $113,309 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,421 | $53,885 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,343/sq mi | 2,291/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $249,500 | $366,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $886 | $1,538 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 74.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.0% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.3% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 4.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 38 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.8" | 39.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.1 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 45.2 | 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
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Ellisville
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Waterloo
75
Your Score
75
Area Score
Ellisville
75
Your Score
73
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Waterloo, IL · Ellisville, MO · How this is calculated: methodology