WaterlooWisconsinDOTSign, 2007
Waterloo’s story
Waterloo in pictures
Census counts: 727 in 1870, 3,492 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1911 and 2 maps from 1900 on.
Explore the history →WaterlooWI
A town of 570.
Population
570
2025 Census estimate · +2.5% since 2020
Median home value
$309K
Census ACS
Household income
$88K
median
Median age
53.8
years
Jobs based here
39
A commuter town
Is Waterloo a good place to live?
Waterloo’s median age is 53.8 years, above both Wisconsin’s towns (42.1 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). 11% of the land in Waterloo is conserved, against 3.8% in Wisconsin’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.
Small town
570 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
PotosiCassvilleBeetownWaterloo
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Waterloo: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Waterloo, and how to reach them.
PowerScenic Rivers Energy Coop15.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Waterloo’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Waterloo ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP codes53820, 5380653820 61% · 53806 39%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Waterloo.
Work & commute
Waterloo has 0.2 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Waterloo for work: only 1% work in town. The average trip to work in Waterloo is 29 minutes. Jobs based in Waterloo fell to 39 in 2023, 46 fewer than in 2013.
1%work in town
| Waterloo | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 2.2% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Waterloo1%
Lancaster21%
Cassville7%
Dubuque5%
Platteville5%
17 mi
median commute distance
39
jobs based in Waterloo
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Waterloo
Waterloo has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 11° and about 37 inches of snow falls in a winter.
37″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–30°
Spring37–58°
Summer60–81°
Fall40–60°
Oct 11
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Waterloo
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 65% of U.S. communities.
65risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
11.3%conserved
11.3%
conserved · 3,210 of 28,404 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Health
How healthy Waterloo is
Waterloo beats the Wisconsin average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 42% of adults have obesity in Waterloo.
| Waterloo | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
1 better22 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Waterloo | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81% | 77.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.3% | 6.5% |
Grant Regional Health Center
10.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 15 attractions →Effigy Mounds National Monument and 10 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Waterloo. Close and well known come first.
22 mi National MonumentEffigy Mounds National Monument57K visitors a year
34 mi MountainCharles Mound
18 mi MuseumNational Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium250K visitors a year
27 mi MuseumFort Crawford
18 mi TheatreFive Flags Center30 mi MuseumChicago AthenaeumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Effigy Mounds National Monument: National Park Service, Public domain · Charles Mound: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Crawford: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Five Flags Center: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Waterloo
18pages on Waterloo
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Waterloo; the nearest are
Emmaus Bible CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Dubuque, IA16.4 mi$20,800 tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-PlattevilleUniversity or college · Public · Platteville17.4 mi$8,644 in-state tuitionSouthwest Wisconsin Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fennimore19.8 mi$4,904 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Waterloo residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Waterloo for work
Where Waterloo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
39jobs based in Waterloo
1%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Waterloo
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Waterloo, WI a good place to live?
Waterloo has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.