Residential comparison · 13 facts
Mason City, IA vs Waterloo, IA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Mason City needs about $84,000 in Waterloo to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Waterloo, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $86,000 in Mason City.
A few differences
- Mason City is higher on median household income ($64,804 vs $57,480).
- Mason City is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($925/mo vs $948/mo).
- Mason City is lower on median home price ($142,000 vs $152,600).
Mason City vs Waterloo · facet by facet
| Facet | Mason City, IA | Waterloo, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $142,000 | $152,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $925/mo | $948/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Sales tax | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Cost of living index | 75 | 75 |
| Groceries index | 94 | 94 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $64,804 | $57,480 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 3% |
| Crime index | 38/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Mason City, IA · Waterloo, IA
Questions & answers
- Is Mason City cheaper than Waterloo?
- Mason City and Waterloo display the same day-to-day cost index; the differences show up facet by facet in the table above.
- What household income in Waterloo equals $85,000 in Mason City?
- A household earning $85,000 in Mason City needs about $84,000 in Waterloo to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Waterloo lifestyle costs about $86,000 in Mason City.