A few Waterloo FACTS (Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls: crime rate, neighborhoods, school districts)

[Chien]

A poster and I seem to be in disagreement over the quality of life in Waterloo.
Just a cursory check online brings up facts.Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed

[anniniowa]

Waterloo ROCKS!!!!!

www.waterloocvb.org

[Chien]

Originally Posted by anniniowa

Waterloo ROCKS!!!!!

www.waterloocvb.org

Although I am certain readers are intrigued with the Waterloo Convention and Visitors Bureaus's site- I think it is somewhat expected that this agency will put the best shine on the city they can.
Now , do you have opposing statistical data to refute what I have posted?
I will accept anything from the Waterloo Police Department, the FBI, any of the state agencies I quoted, the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, or any of the three major news agencies there.
People want facts, not the spin of a website of an agency whose sole purpose is to attempt to draw people in.
( In anticipation, a MySpace on Waterloo will not convince me either, nor will a link to Waterloo bumperstickers or...well...you get the idea. I just want the factual data as I provided. )

[ic-epi]

I think the great thing about a forum like this is that you can get such a diversity of information. Facts, and yes, opinions. People who ask a question here have to be cognizant of the source of their information, and anyone who has ever had a "home" must realize that people have strong emotions about their home. These emotions aren't always rational, and they aren't always based on fact. But they supply important information to put in context and consider when making a decision about where to move.

Facts are great, but they're researchable. Anyone with internet access can get facts, although I think it's terrific that people here are willing to help others find that information. But part of this forum is to be able to reach out to people who have had a variety of life experiences within the geographic area in question, and those experiences are by nature subjective. That doesn't make them truth, but it doesn't make them unimportant either. Just my opinion.

Anyone who is considering a major move will (hopefully) do a lot of research before making that decision. I am moving to Lexington, KY in July and spent hours on this forum reading posts from people who were Lexington natives and who had a wide variety of opinions about what it's like to live there -- from those who hated it, to those who thought it was the best place on the planet. Of course that is the case, for anywhere. Listen to what people say. If a place statistically has a "high" crime rate, it's important to some degree to know that even so, there are folks who have lived there all their lives and have had wonderful experiences. Isn't it?

Opinions are important, and when you get as many of them as possible and then incorporate the stats (school districts, violent crime, urban vs rural, whatever) -- all of it should fit together to give you a decent feel for the place, within YOUR own context of what's important.

So the responses based on emotion are important too, just as well as the responses based on fact.

My opinion, anyway.

[Hawkeye48]

Waterloo is fine as long as you stay west of the Cedar River. If you get to far east the crime rate is too high.

[ljhds]

anyone here from brandon Iowa or close by?

[GeoMapster]

Chien....Thank you for sharing about Waterloo's Facts..

I absolutely agree with Hawkeye48.

ljhds.... I lived in Quasqueton from November 2001 to March 2003 and in Independence from March 2003 to March 2007. Both towns are in Buchanan County where Brandon is also in. Right now, I live in Strawberry Point which is situated in southwestern part of Clayton County.

[dubuqueaskme]

Waterloo is ok. You dont have to go there and "worry" about anything. It is just that not mcuh happens in Eastern Iowa, and whenever some sort of crime does happen, a lot of the time it is in Waterloo... granted Cedar Rapids gets attention too. But,if you are travelling in Waterloo, dont worry. It isnt that bad. There are just a few bad neighborhoods, near downtown, where not much happens... but the news over-publicizes what happens in Waterloo and makes it look like a horrible place, and it is not.

Its not the best, but SO, SO many cities are worse.

[summer grace]

Well, I think that's a fairly good assessment. I think the whole point with Waterloo is that it is bad by Iowa standards. But, Iowa standards are nothing, exactly. I agree about near downtown, the bad neighborhoods look to be there, although I've not seen that much of Waterloo. By the standards of most cities, it is fine, it's just by Iowa standards that it's bad. I've never lived there of course, but that's my judgemebt from passing through.

[Iowanmovinsouth]

OK I know there are nice parts of Waterloo, but if you had a choice, I would choose Cedar Falls instead. Small college-town atmosphere, awesome little downtown and bike and hiking trails for days! I'm preparing for a move to Knoxville, TN and have spent the last month walking around Cedar Falls and remembering what a great little town it really is. now if the had a Target, I would never have to go to Waterloo for anything.