Waterloo, IA GIS Map
Waterloo is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, with a population of about 67,314. The map below shows its location, boundary and surrounding roads, with federal GIS layers you can turn on for the area.
- County
- Black Hawk County
- Population
- 67,314
- Elevation
- 851 ft
- Coordinates
- 42.4928, -92.3426
- ZIP codes (4)
- 50701, 50702, 50703, 50704
- Land area
- 61.6 sq mi
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
About Waterloo, IA
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. It is the eighth-most populous city in Iowa, with a population of 67,314 at the 2020 census. Waterloo comprises a twin conurbation with neighboring municipality Cedar Falls, and is the larger of the two cities. The Waterloo – Cedar Falls metropolitan area has an estimated 170,000 residents. Waterloo is bisected into eastern and western halves by the Cedar River flowing southeastward.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Cities Near Waterloo
- Cedar Falls, IA6 mi
- Waverly, IA17 mi
- Marshalltown, IA42 mi
- Marion, IA50 mi
- Cedar Rapids, IA50 mi
- Grinnell, IA55 mi
- Decorah, IA63 mi
- Mason City, IA63 mi
Other Cities in Black Hawk County
GIS Data for Waterloo, IA
The Waterloo map loads live federal GIS layers in your browser, so you can check flood zones, terrain, land cover and district boundaries for any address in Waterloo without a separate GIS login. Everything below is drawn from public U.S. government data.
Layers you can turn on
FEMA flood zones
National Flood Hazard Layer — flood insurance rate map zones.
Elevation contours and hillshade
USGS 3DEP terrain, so you can read slope and relief.
Land cover
NLCD land cover classes — forest, developed, wetland, water.
School districts
Census TIGER unified and elementary school district boundaries.
ZIP code and county boundaries
Census TIGER ZCTA and county boundary lines.
Map tools
Measure distance and area
Draw a line or polygon to get length in miles or area in acres.
Sketch and annotate
Add points, lines and shapes on top of the map.
Inspect any point
Click the map to read coordinates, elevation and the layers under your cursor.
Download the map
Save the current view as a PNG image.
Waterloo Demographics
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.
Population
67,008
Households
29,283
Median household income
$57,480
Median age
36.7 years
Median home value
$152,600
Median gross rent
$923/mo
Owner-occupied homes
62.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher
21.8%
Below poverty level
16.6%
Land area
61.6 sq mi
Population density
1,088 / sq mi
County
Waterloo Population Growth
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2024: April 2020 estimates base and July 1, 2024 estimate).
2010 Census
68,406
April 2020 (estimates base)
67,309
July 2024 estimate
67,477
Change 2010-2020
-1.6%
Change 2020-2024
+0.2%
Photos of Waterloo
Hover over a photo to see it larger. Tap on mobile.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, taken in or near Waterloo. Credits and licenses are shown in the larger view.
Federal Buildings & Leases in Waterloo
GSA-managed federal properties in and around Waterloo.
| Property | Address | Status | Sq ft | Lease ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3121 Greyhound Drive | 3121 Greyhound Dr, 50701 | Leased | 11,747 | Aug 2034 |
| 220 W Ridgeway Avenue | 220 W Ridgeway Ave, 50701 | Leased | 4,740 | Jun 2035 |
| Tower Bank Bldg 100 | 201 Tower Park Dr, 50701 | Leased | 2,998 | Sep 2027 |
| Waterloo Regional Airport | 2790 Livingston Ln, 50703 | Leased | 1,083 | Sep 2034 |
Source: U.S. GSA Inventory of Owned and Leased Properties (data.gov), September 2026.
Soils of Waterloo
General soil map unit at the city center: Spillville-Saude-Marshan
Soil Properties
- Drainage class
- Poorly drained
- Hydrologic soil group
- B (moderate infiltration)
- Available water storage (0–150 cm)
- 22.1 cm
- Typical slope
- 1%
Soil Components
- Spillville10%
Mollisols · Cumulic Hapludolls
- Saude9%
Mollisols · Typic Hapludolls
- Clyde9%
Mollisols · Typic Endoaquolls
- Marshan8%
Mollisols · Typic Endoaquolls
- Marshan8%
Mollisols · Typic Endoaquolls
- Sparta7%
Mollisols · Entic Hapludolls
Source: USDA NRCS U.S. General Soil Map (STATSGO2). General soil map data (1:250,000 scale) is not suitable for site-specific decisions.
Climate of Waterloo
30-year averages (1991–2020) from the Waterloo Muni Ap, Ia weather station, elevation 868 ft, 5.2 miles from the city center.
Warmest month
Jul · avg high 85°F
Coldest month
Jan · avg low 11°F
Annual precipitation
36.3 in
Annual snowfall
39.1 in
Average Monthly Temperatures (°F)
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high °F | 28 | 33 | 46 | 61 | 73 | 82 | 85 | 83 | 77 | 63 | 47 | 34 |
| Avg low °F | 11 | 15 | 27 | 38 | 50 | 61 | 64 | 61 | 52 | 40 | 28 | 17 |
| Precip. in | 1.10 | 1.14 | 1.98 | 4.04 | 4.61 | 5.72 | 4.34 | 4.17 | 3.14 | 2.76 | 1.85 | 1.44 |
| Snow in | 10.1 | 9.3 | 4.6 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 3.1 | 9.9 |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Conditions at the station may differ from other parts of the city.
Natural Hazard Risk in Waterloo
FEMA National Risk Index ratings for Black Hawk County, compared with all U.S. counties.
Overall risk
Score 76.6 of 100
Expected annual loss
Buildings, population & agriculture
Social vulnerability
Susceptibility to hazard impacts
Community resilience
Ability to prepare & recover
Risk by Hazard
- DroughtRelatively High
- Strong WindRelatively High
- Winter WeatherRelatively High
- TornadoRelatively High
- HailRelatively Moderate
- Inland FloodingRelatively Moderate
- Ice StormRelatively Moderate
- Cold WaveRelatively Moderate
- LightningRelatively Low
- Heat WaveRelatively Low
- EarthquakeVery Low
- WildfireVery Low
- LandslideVery Low
- HurricaneVery Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release). County-level ratings are relative to other U.S. counties and are not a property-specific assessment.
Waterloo FAQ
What county is Waterloo in?
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Waterloo, Iowa is located in Black Hawk County.
What is the population of Waterloo?
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Waterloo has a population of about 67,314, making it the number 8 of the 44 Iowa cities listed on GIS Map.
What is the elevation of Waterloo?
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The elevation of Waterloo is approximately 851 feet (259 meters) above sea level at the city center.
What ZIP codes are in Waterloo?
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ZIP codes for Waterloo include 50701, 50702, 50703, 50704.
What time zone is Waterloo in?
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Waterloo is in the Central Time zone (America/Chicago).
How far is Waterloo from Des Moines?
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Waterloo is about 91 miles from Des Moines, the capital of Iowa, in a straight line.
What cities are near Waterloo?
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Cities near Waterloo include Cedar Falls, IA (6 miles); Waverly, IA (17 miles); Marshalltown, IA (42 miles); Marion, IA (50 miles); Cedar Rapids, IA (50 miles).
Local notes for Waterloo, IA
Questions and local knowledge from people who know the area. Every note is read before it appears here.