Waverly, IA

Census place 1982875 · pop 10,494

C66/ 100
👍 Solid
B
in IA
📍 Iowa ranks #11 of 50 states →
🏆 Disaster38/100 · top 6%
🚽 Inequality0.50 · bottom 10%
Taxes
1.47% property · US 0.99%6.94% sales · US 7.00%3.80% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Income inequality0.5010

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.50 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Property-tax burden1.47%28

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.47% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Adult obesity37.2%36

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

37.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Poverty rate10.9%53

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

10.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Adult smoking12.7%55

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

12.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$80,28456

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$80,284 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Population growth (5yr)+4.0%57

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+4.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Poor mental health16.4%61

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

16.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Violent crime rate141/100k62

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

141 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Physical inactivity22.8%63

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

22.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Homeownership69.0%64

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

69.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Housing cost$223,30065

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$223,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Property crime rate895/100k67

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

895 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Air quality (AQI)County-level40 AQI68

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

40 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Broadband access94.2%72

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

94.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Bachelor's degree or higher44.1%75

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

44.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.0%79

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Uninsured adults6.1%84

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

6.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time17 min90

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level38/10094

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

38/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Waverly: Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Waverly, IA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Waverly scores 66/100 — a C (Solid) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 21 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is natural disaster risk and its weakest is income inequality. Iowa overall ranks #11 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Waverly, IA?
Waverly reports 141 violent crimes per 100k and 895 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Waverly, IA expensive to live in?
Waverly has a median home value of $223,300 — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Waverly, IA?
Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.50) — 10/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Waverly, IA best at?
Its strongest measured area is natural disaster risk (38/100) — 94/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.