Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Waterloo’s mean commuting time is 36 minutes, against 25 minutes in Alabama’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. No town among the 188 in Alabama we compare has a higher midpoint age than Waterloo. 14% of the land in Waterloo is conserved, against 1.2% in Alabama’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Waterloo has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Waterloo beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 196 in 1880, a peak of 524 in 1940, 178 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2012 and 4 maps from 1911 on.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Waterloo. Close and well known come first.
8 mi ParkwayNatchez Trace Parkway8.0M visitors a year
24 mi MuseumMuscle Shoals Sound Studio
19 mi National Military ParkShiloh National Military Park347K visitors a year25 mi MuseumAlabama Music Hall of Fame10 mi MuseumApron Museum
26 mi MuseumCorinth DepotNatchez Trace Parkway: Carol M. Highsmith (1946–), Public domain · Muscle Shoals Sound Studio: Dailynetworks, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Shiloh National Military Park: Ernest Mettendorf, Public domain · Corinth Depot: Ron Cogswell, CC BY 2.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Waterloo, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Waterloo.
Public schools: the Lauderdale County school district. The largest public high school is Waterloo High School, with 337 students. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 337 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
Waterloo’s FEMA risk score stands at 82 of 100. Expected losses in Waterloo break down as 63% from inland flooding and 13% from cold waves. Federal aid has come to Waterloo households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2011.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Only 2% of working residents stay in Waterloo for work; the rest commute out. In Waterloo, 22% of residents live below the poverty line. Half of commuters travel less than 26 miles. The top destinations are Florence (27%), Huntsville (9%) and Muscle Shoals (8%).
| Waterloo | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.6% | 10% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
In Waterloo, the going rate for rent is $700 a month. Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 6.8% in value. Among households locally, 84% are owner-occupiers.
| Waterloo | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 84% | 69% | 73% |
| Median rent | $700 a month | $940 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
One park or preserve covers 2 acres in Waterloo.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lauderdale Wildlife Management Area | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
For adults in Waterloo, the share who binge drink is 13%. Of 32 CDC measures, Waterloo beats the Alabama average on 5 and trails it on 8.
| Waterloo | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 43% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 12% |
| What stands out | Waterloo | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.7% | 9.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.9% | 13.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.8% | 8.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Waterloo; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Waterloo residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
Where Waterloo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Alabama, United States
Waterloo is a town in Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Florence–Muscle Shoals metropolitan area, known as "The Shoals". As of the 2020 census, Waterloo had a population of 178. The town and surrounding area is served by Waterloo High School and by the Waterloo Volunteer Fire Department.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Waterloo has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
