Cedar Falls, IA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Iowa·Cedar Falls

Black Hawk County · Waterloo-Cedar Falls · population 41,417

First-time buyers
Cedar Falls, IA
Image: Wikipedia · Cedar Falls, Iowa
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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67
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Cedar Falls stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $265,455
1-year +2.8%
5-yr CAGR +5.6%
vs 5-yr peak -0.1%
Population +0.4%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-02$265k$166k$203k$240k$276k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
82/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,393/mo$1,067$1,272$1,476202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent131123100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.9
Lean buy

At a 15.9 price-to-rent ratio, Cedar Falls is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
64 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
68 · w22%
Distance from peak
89 · w18%
Population growth
54 · w16%
Rent YoY
64 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
53 · w10%
Long thesis

Cedar Falls has held up across the cycle: home values at $265,455 with +5.6% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Cedar Falls's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Cedar Falls

Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, with an estimated population of 41,417. It anchors the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area. The median home value in Cedar Falls is $265,455 as of 2026-04, up 2.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.6% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Cedar Falls average $1,393 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.9%). The composite momentum score is 67 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.6% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +2.8% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently -0.1% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Cedar Falls (Wikipedia)

Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the city population was 40,713. Cedar Falls is home to the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), a public university.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Black Hawk County right now.

NWS active alerts (IA)Iowa Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Black Hawk County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Cedar Falls

Marion, IA70 · RisingSioux City, IA68 · RisingMason City, IA66 · RisingCouncil Bluffs, IA65 · Rising

Run the numbers for Cedar Falls

ToolCan I afford Cedar Falls?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Cedar Falls rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Cedar Falls to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolCedar Falls cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
28° / 11°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
84° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
200
~55% of year
Annual precip
36″ rain
30″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Cedar Falls listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$70,500
Iowa state median
Top industries (state-level)
InsuranceManufacturingAgriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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