Minnetonka, MN vs Waterloo, IA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Minnetonka

72.3

#909 nationally

vs

Waterloo

81.8

#36 nationally

Minnetonka leads in crime level (3.2 vs 13.0). Minnetonka leads in median household income ($114,867 vs $54,104). Waterloo leads in cost of living index (88 vs 126).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Minnetonka, MN Waterloo, IA
WhereAtHome Score 72.3 (#909) 81.8 (#36)
Population 52,463 66,606
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $493,096 $149,005
Median Household Income $114,867 $54,104
Average Commute 20.1 min 16.5 min
Walk Score N/A 37
Crime Level 3.2 13.0
School Rating N/A N/A
Cost of Living Index 126 88
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored D+42.6 D+1.2

Data coverage note: Minnetonka is missing data for 1 metric that Waterloo has. Scores with less coverage are penalized — see our methodology.