The Town FilesWaterloo, Wisconsin
Town in Grant County · population 552 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $309,100
- Household income
- $87,857
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 53.8
Waterloo is a town of 552 people in Grant County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $309,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 89% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 84% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 71% of Wisconsin towns.
How Waterloo ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Waterloo is worth $309,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $87,857, which is more affordable than 32% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $917 a month. 87.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waterloo | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $309,100 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $917 | $951 |
| Median household income | $87,857 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 87.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.9% | — |
Who lives in Waterloo
| People | Waterloo | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.4% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.2% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 38.9% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 89.1% |
Weather in Waterloo
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 8.9°F. About 38.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterloo since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 4.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 0 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 10, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 22, 1962.
Severe weather in Grant County since 1996
Grant County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| October 7, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| August 8, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4141: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| April 5, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Grant County
Grant County had 17,200 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,501 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Waterloo itself the ACS puts it at 0.9%.
Towns near Waterloo
- Potosi, WI6.0 mi · 813 people · home $206,000
- Beetown, WI6.3 mi · 723 people · home $226,500
- Potosi, WI6.8 mi · 646 people · home $187,500
- South Lancaster, WI7.9 mi · 884 people · home $251,700
- Cassville, WI8.1 mi · 777 people · home $123,100
- Lancaster, WI10.4 mi · 3,907 people · home $204,000
- Paris, WI12.1 mi · 655 people · home $278,700
- Bloomington, WI12.5 mi · 741 people · home $131,300
Waterloo questions
Is Waterloo, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waterloo scores better for retirees than 60% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 89%. 34.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.8).
How much does a house cost in Waterloo?
The median owner-occupied home in Waterloo is valued at $309,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,857, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $917 a month.
What is the weather like in Waterloo?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 8.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.5 inches of precipitation a year and 37.4 inches of snow.
Does Waterloo get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterloo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)