Moving to Waterloo-What should I look for or avoid? (Cedar Falls: crime, house)

[metro223]

"****" is a town called d-i-k-e, they should just change the friggin name!

[raybone]

Are you restricting your search by size of town? You mentioned you have a small child. Look up the four-lane highway to Janesville. Someone mentioned Waverly, and this town is half way between Cedar Falls and Waverly. Small town, great people, fabulous elementary school with early childhood center within. You could likely rent a house for $500-$600. Several parks in town. Not a lot on Main Street now, but I know first hand things are coming to town. Please check it out! Janesville, Iowa (IA) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news

Janesville is within 20 minutes of downtown Waterloo, 15 min. from UNI campus, and 10 min. from Waverly.

[Happygolucky]

Denver, IA is a real nice town. they have a real good Pizza place.

[Laura129]

Hiya Tex. Well I kinda grew up in the Cedar Falls, Waterloo area..and I visited it in 1994.
Waterloo used to be a great little town..now the downtown sets empthy taken over by malls just outside the city.It's a ghost town. And the worst side was the East side..And
not many Caucasians there, as well. Prospect Blvd...and the west side is best,,or was best, as I remember. Cedar Falls has a lot more class..it's a college town.Very quaint little town with french street light ..old stores..and fountain down town..And just more refined...But pricey...But then just about everything is anymore..Be sure you check it out good for your selves, before making any definate moves.. I plan on moving back to Iowa myself...further south..to a little town like Mayberry..going to retire there..And I was thinking maybe I should go up there for a visit first. Just too look things over..Im too old to get stuck again..lol Anyway good Luck and hope you find what You want..I have always loved Iowa..I grew up there..!! Laura.

[metro223]

laura from florida?

u last visited nearly 14 years ago ... waterloo isn't a ghost town, and i dont think it really was 14 years ago (if i had to guess.)

Moderator cut: no need for the personal comment

[wallststud]

I'm delighted to hear your moving to Waterloo! Waterloo is a great "progressive" city with with lots to offer. As stated earlier the great lost of jobs in the area during the late 80's and early 90's proved to be quite the perfect disaster. However Waterloo has grown and is growing into a city of brilliant success. The Cedar Valley is a diamond being re-polished shining and sparkling with beautiful parks, schools, entertainment venues, and much much more. Many of these people who are posting on this post are people who have never lived in Waterloo before. Their commenting about something they know very little about. I currently do not live in Waterloo myself; I moved 3.5 years ago. But I did live there, and I lived there for over 17 years. Waterloo has this negative stigma that is nothing more than a ghost from its past. Like all cities you have your good neighborhoods and your not so good ones, but I urge you not to be mislead into thinking that one "side" is better.( i.e. East side and West side)

Waterloo is also Iowa's most diverse city with people represented from all over the world including large populations of Bosnian* (and other eastern Europe people), Hispanic, African Americans, and of course White Americans. I think this is the real reason for Waterloo's negative stigma its too diverse for our culturally challenged state.

And for the native Iowans, remember the early 80's where Waterloo was the center of attraction? I remember. I'm sure you remember too... It can be again if you stop with the ghost stories.
P.S. Texasgirl Waterloo welcomes you and your family.

[LRSMOKEY]

Girl, I have two words for you. Cedar & Falls. The city is adjoined to Waterloo, but it is day/night difference between the two cities and the travel area is like 7 or 8 miles difference. As one of your quotes stated, you get what you pay for and an extra 100/month is well worth it. And from Cedar Falls you can shop, eat, gamble, entertain in Waterloo in 5 minutes. Plus Cedar Falls has its own places albeit most are college age oriented. As one of your quoters stated, the 80's buckled Waterloo, and it never has recovered such as the like of Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, or Ames. Get on your computer and look up some statistics between Waterloo and Cedar Falls and you will see what I mean, like education, crime, government,etc.
If I could eloquently put it, make your decision from the following comment:
One morning I was having breakfast at IHOP and I overheard this elder man tell his grandaughter," Honey, move on, get out of Waterloo, this is the butthole of Iowa." Enough said. BTW, I just left Waterloo 4 months ago and am still smiling. Good luck, Smokey

[metro223]

yes, cedar falls is a little bit safer and would be my pick if i were staying here. but i would never describe them as night and day, they are basically the same city and cedar falls just has the most new housing developments, i would just think of it as a continuation of the west side really. plus, cedar falls schools are changing drastically as most people from waterloo are moving over here anyways, thus influincing the district. things are changing for cf too.

[Rez]

I have lived in Waterloo the past few years. I also happen to live on the east side. There are nice places here, too, but overall it's very blue collar/working class=tough. This is the neighborhood of the Five Sullivan Brothers and not for the faint of heart. I am not a native; I moved here from California to be near my parents. Like others say, please research the area before you buy. Yes, you actually have to lock your doors and garages (it's amazing to me how many Iowans told me they don't lock their doors). Yes, houses are cheaper, but they're cheaper for a reason. Some are smack up against the railroad, or next to a tough school. We may also have a coal plant built over here. There is also a serious slum lord problem here and that's not the fault of the renters. Lead poisoning rates are high among small children. I was surprised to learn that the east side has been traditionally black for many years, yet we also have many Mexican and a few Asian immigrants which have really done a lot to revitalize a dwindling and demoralized city. Ten years ago you couldn't get tortillas at the corner market, and now you can, ha ha. It is tough, it's cold, and our streets don't get plowed out right away. Well paying jobs are scarce and it's no shame to be fired from a job because people get fired at the drop of a hat. Life would be miserable, except that somehow some people still manage to be kind. Community involvement is higher here than I've seen in other cities around the country I've lived. I've never seen such polite drivers. Some neighborhoods are tightly knit. I can't tell you much about the west side as I only lived there a short time, but it's my opinion that the Bosnian community has really improved many of the dumpy little 1950s cookie cutter houses that are over there. For some of us east siders, Cedar Falls is snotty and overpriced and totally white bread. Luckily, that's changing too. They've got great bike trails and the library is much nicer than the Waterloo one. Good luck to you!

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Rez

I have lived in Waterloo the past few years. I also happen to live on the east side. There are nice places here, too, but overall it's very blue collar/working class=tough. This is the neighborhood of the Five Sullivan Brothers and not for the faint of heart. I am not a native; I moved here from California to be near my parents. Like others say, please research the area before you buy. Yes, you actually have to lock your doors and garages (it's amazing to me how many Iowans told me they don't lock their doors). Yes, houses are cheaper, but they're cheaper for a reason. Some are smack up against the railroad, or next to a tough school. We may also have a coal plant built over here. There is also a serious slum lord problem here and that's not the fault of the renters. Lead poisoning rates are high among small children. I was surprised to learn that the east side has been traditionally black for many years, yet we also have many Mexican and a few Asian immigrants which have really done a lot to revitalize a dwindling and demoralized city. Ten years ago you couldn't get tortillas at the corner market, and now you can, ha ha. It is tough, it's cold, and our streets don't get plowed out right away. Well paying jobs are scarce and it's no shame to be fired from a job because people get fired at the drop of a hat. Life would be miserable, except that somehow some people still manage to be kind. Community involvement is higher here than I've seen in other cities around the country I've lived. I've never seen such polite drivers. Some neighborhoods are tightly knit. I can't tell you much about the west side as I only lived there a short time, but it's my opinion that the Bosnian community has really improved many of the dumpy little 1950s cookie cutter houses that are over there. For some of us east siders, Cedar Falls is snotty and overpriced and totally white bread. Luckily, that's changing too. They've got great bike trails and the library is much nicer than the Waterloo one. Good luck to you!

Hopefully Iowa will continue to be a leader in wind energy, and not build a dirty coal plant right on top of metro area. Coal is still the dirtiest way to generate electricity, and there is no such thing as "clean coal." Also, coal power has hidden health and environmental costs that are not associated with the total cost of construction or factored into the cost of electricity per kilowatt hour.
I was AMAZED when I took a trip recently from Kansas City and saw all of the wind farms in Iowa. It is mostly a win-win situation in my opinion.