Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Waterloo earns a D, ranked 666th of 745 in New York, mostly because of schools and incomes. Its public schools trail 87% of New York towns on state tests and graduation. The median household income is $52K, and 12% of residents live below the poverty line. One bright spot: 3% of its land is conserved. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 96% of U.S. towns. 29% of residents are 65 or older in Waterloo, against 20% in New York’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Waterloo is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 71% of U.S. towns.
Where Waterloo beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Waterloo is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,837 in 1830, 7,338 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 4 maps from 1902 on.
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 Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Waterloo.
Waterloo is healthier than towns with similar incomes and trades workers with Waterloo and other neighbors.
2.1 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. Waterloo’s trail density is 1.0 miles per square mile.
| Waterloo | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.0 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.4% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lafayette Park | 0.5 mi | 4 |
| 2. Oak Island Village Park | 0.2 mi | 7 |
| 3. Women's Rights National Historical Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The typical Waterloo home is worth about $188,000, up 4.7% in a year, 64% below the New York typical home. The median rent in Waterloo is $927 a month.
| Waterloo | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $927 a month | $1,103 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 75% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Waterloo has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 17° and about 57 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 6,338 U.S. towns with household incomes like Waterloo’s, it is healthier than 73%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.
Waterloo beats the New York average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 16% of Waterloo adults report frequent physical distress.
| Waterloo | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 25% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Waterloo | NY |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9.5% | 6% |
| More smokers | 15.8% | 11.3% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.4% | 6.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Waterloo has about as many jobs (2,008) as working residents, but only 243 people both live and work here. The average commute takes 21.3 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Most working residents leave Waterloo for work: only 13% work in town. The top destinations are Waterloo (16%), Seneca Falls (13%) and Geneva (10%). Half commute less than 12 miles.
| Waterloo | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 10% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Waterloo's reported crime rate is below New York's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 12 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Waterloo | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.6 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 9 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 52% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Waterloo since 1979.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Waterloo. Close and well known come first.
17 mi LakeSeneca Lake
17 mi LakeCayuga Lake
38 mi Stadium & arenaJMA Wireless Dome
19 mi MountainCumorah
37 mi State parkWatkins Glen State Park
35 mi LakeOnondaga LakeSeneca Lake: RochesterNY, Public domain · Cayuga Lake: The original uploader was Cornellrockey at English Wikipedia. Later versions we, CC BY-SA 2.5 · JMA Wireless Dome: Jimhoward03, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cumorah: Hillcumorahpageantstage.jpg: la salebete derivative work: Eustress (talk), CC BY-SA 2.0 · Watkins Glen State Park: Flickr user: Peter Rivera Stamford, Connecticut https://www.flickr.com/people/ri, CC BY 2.0 · Onondaga Lake: R. A. Nonenmacher, CC BY-SA 4.0
3 within 15 miles of the center of Waterloo
About 5 of every 100 Waterloo residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
10 notable people were born in Waterloo.
Town in New York, United States
Waterloo is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 7,378 at the 2020 census. The town and its major community are named after Waterloo, Belgium, where Napoleon was defeated. There is also a village called Waterloo, the primary county seat of Seneca County. The Town of Waterloo is situated on the western border of the county, east of Geneva.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
3 towns share a border with Waterloo.
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo | #666 | D | B− | — | D | C+ |
| Waterloo | #659 | D | B− | — | D | B− |
| Seneca Falls | #608 | C− | B | C | C− | B− |
| Fayette | #625 | C− | C | — | C− | B− |
Waterloo, Waterloo and Fayette report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Waterloo with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Waterloo grades D overall, better than 13% of U.S. towns and #666 of 745 in New York. It grades C+ for health and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
That is 2.8 years of the area's median household income ($68,089 across the Seneca Falls, NY area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
10 notable people were born here, including Louise Blanchard Bethune and Randolph Rogers.
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