Uprootmap
Rochester vs Waterloo
Rochester and Waterloo
Photo: Stephen Cummings / Wikimedia, CC BY 2.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Waterloo are under the US rate in this release, 5.4 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Rochester to Waterloo
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Rochester to Waterloo above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,330 in Rochester and $788 in Waterloo. Rochester has a state tax on wages. Waterloo has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Waterloo is 88% of the national level for the same work, against 106% in Rochester.
Waterloo averages 204 sunny days, with July highs around 82°F and January nights around 17°F. Rochester is 195 sunny days, 80°F in July, 15°F in January. Commutes average 17 minutes in Waterloo and 21 in Rochester.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Rochester → Waterloo pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Rochester and Waterloo changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 117 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,650–$3,100
- Container or pod
- $1,100–$2,100
- Rent a truck
- $400–$750
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Dig into Waterloo
Questions
Is Waterloo cheaper than Rochester after tax and rent?
Yes. Waterloo leaves about $644 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,330 in Rochester and $788 in Waterloo.
Does Waterloo have state income tax?
Waterloo is in Iowa, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Rochester to Waterloo?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.