Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Waverly is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades B+ overall, ranked 59th of 140 in Iowa, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is schools: its public schools beat 84% of Iowa towns on state tests and graduation. It also does better than most on health: it is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns. A typical home there costs about $280K, 4 years of the Waterloo metro’s $71K median household income. Only 8 of Iowa’s 276 towns score higher on walkability. Waverly’s trail density is 1.0 miles per square mile, above both Iowa’s towns (0.3) and U.S. towns (0.4). Waverly has 10 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Waverly House and Wartburg Teachers' Seminary.
Where Waverly beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| North Ridge Elementary | K–4 | 397 |
| Prairie West Elementary | K–4 | 252 |
| St. Paul's Lutheran School | PK–6 | 241 |
Census counts: 2,291 in 1870, 10,394 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 2 maps from 1963 on.
10 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Waverly is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Waverly, 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 Waverly.
Waverly has seen reported crime fall by a fifth or more, but it has a long record of flood insurance claims.
11 miles of trail in 21 parks and preserves. Babcock Woods, at 76 acres with 1.9 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Babcock Woods | 1.9 mi | 76 |
| 2. Cedar Hill Park | 0.3 mi | 6 |
| 3. Prairie Park | — | 42 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District. Three of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High School, with 737 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waverly-Shell Rock Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 681 | A− |
| Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 737 | A− |
| Southeast Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK | Grades PK | 31 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
21% of Waverly adults binge drink, above both the Iowa town median (20%) and the median of U.S. towns (16%). 12% of Waverly adults report frequent physical distress. Waverly beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
| Waverly | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.6% | 12% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 35% | 35% |
| What stands out | Waverly | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.7% | 11.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Waverly has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Waverly’s July high is 83°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The typical Waverly home is worth about $280,000, up 1.6% in a year, 18% above the Iowa typical home.
| Waverly | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,057 a month | $909 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 70% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
About one in 3 of Waverly’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Waverly is 17 minutes. Jobs based in Waverly fell to 5,791 in 2023, 613 fewer than in 2013.
| Waverly | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 32% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 11% | 8.5% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
464 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 76 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 464 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Waverly.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Reported crimes fell from 174 to 129 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
3 within 15 miles of the center of Waverly
College town 16 of every 100 Waverly residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
10 places in Waverly on the National Register of Historic Places.
14 notable people were born in Waverly.
City in Iowa, United States
Waverly is a city in Bremer County, Iowa, United States. The population was 10,394 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Bremer County and is part of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metropolitan area. Waverly is situated along the Cedar River and is accessible via the Avenue of the Saints for transportation. The sister city of Waverly is the German city of Eisenach, which is famous for the Wartburg castle. Waverly is the location of Wartburg College, which is named after the castle.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Waverly grades B+ overall, better than 74% of U.S. towns and #59 of 140 in Iowa. It grades B+ for health, C+ for safety and A− for schools.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
14 notable people were born here, including Michael Talbott and John Sladek.
