The Town FilesWaterloo, Indiana
Town in DeKalb County · population 2,116 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $104,600
- Household income
- $67,083
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 35.3
Waterloo is a town of 2,116 people in DeKalb County, Indiana. The median home is worth $104,600, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks easier by car than 96% of Indiana towns, quieter than 80% of Indiana towns, better for families than 78% of Indiana towns.
How Waterloo ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Waterloo is worth $104,600, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $67,083, which is more affordable than 94% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $829 a month. 81.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waterloo | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $104,600 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $829 | $888 |
| Median household income | $67,083 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 81.2% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Waterloo
| People | Waterloo | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.3% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.2% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.5% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Waterloo
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 16.8°F. About 38.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.5 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterloo since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 27, 1991 about 6.5 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 35 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on May 7, 2024.
Severe weather in DeKalb County since 1996
DeKalb County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
| April 22, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1832: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 30, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in DeKalb County
DeKalb County had 22,201 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,916 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Waterloo itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.
Public schools in Waterloo
3 public schools with 2,050 students, about 16.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb High School | 9-12 | 1,052 | 17.5 |
| DeKalb Middle School | 6-8 | 774 | 15.5 |
| Waterloo Elementary School | PK-5 | 224 | 16.0 |
Towns near Waterloo
- Auburn, IN4.8 mi · 13,412 people · home $190,800
- Ashley, IN5.8 mi · 1,026 people · home $132,100
- Hudson, IN6.7 mi · 585 people · home $100,000
- Garrett, IN6.9 mi · 6,542 people · home $154,200
- Butler, IN9.3 mi · 2,635 people · home $107,700
- Hamilton, IN9.8 mi · 1,529 people · home $298,200
- Avilla, IN10.6 mi · 2,438 people · home $210,200
- Kendallville, IN10.7 mi · 10,271 people · home $133,200
Waterloo questions
Is Waterloo, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waterloo scores better for retirees than 61% of Indiana towns and quieter than 80%. 8.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Waterloo?
The median owner-occupied home in Waterloo is valued at $104,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,083, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $829 a month.
What is the weather like in Waterloo?
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 16.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.0 inches of precipitation a year and 29.5 inches of snow.
Does Waterloo get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterloo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 27, 1991. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)