HEAD TO HEAD
Des Moines vs Waterloo
Waterloo leads Des Moines on 4 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Des Moines, IA
wins 1 of 5 factors
Waterloo, IA
wins 4 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Des Moines | Waterloo |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 87 | 94 ◆ |
| Affordable to rent | 84 | 93 ◆ |
| Climate comfort | 43 | 97 ◆ |
| Plenty of sunshine | 45 | 66 ◆ |
| Big-city amenities | 80 ◆ | 37 |
By the numbers
| Figure | Des Moines | Waterloo |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $296K | $200K |
| Typical rent | $1,293/mo | $1,027/mo |
| Average temperature | 10.2°C | 20.2°C |
| Sunshine (solar) | 4.09 kWh/m²/day | 4.81 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank | #84 | #261 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.