What are the schools like in Cedar Falls, IA?

Cedar Falls is served primarily by Cedar Falls Comm School District. The district operates 7 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.1:1.

What is the median household income in Cedar Falls?

The median household income in Cedar Falls, IA is $71,011 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 3.0%.

What is the weather like in Cedar Falls, IA?

Cedar Falls has an average high temperature of 28.2°F in January and 85.0°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 36.3 inches and annual snowfall averages 39.1 inches.

Cedar Falls, IA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Cedar Falls, IA affordable or expensive?

Cedar Falls's cost of living index is 88, where 100 represents the national average. This means Cedar Falls is 12% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $244,800 and the median rent is $1,112 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Cedar Falls, IA?

Cedar Falls has a violent crime rate of 258.3 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1350.3 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Cedar Falls, IA a Good Place to Live?

Cedar Falls is a small city of 40,686 in Iowa, with a median household income of $71,011 and a 3.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is 12% below the national average.

Strengths: Cedar Falls stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Cedar Falls is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Cedar Falls city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 88.0

Cedar Falls's overall cost of living index is 88.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Cedar Falls costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.

Metric	Cedar Falls, IA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$244,800	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,112	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	62.5%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$71,011	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Cedar Falls's violent crime rate is 258.3 per 100,000 residents — 32% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

258.3 /100k

Property Crime

1350.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Cedar Falls is served primarily by Cedar Falls Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Cedar Falls, IA	National Avg
School District	Cedar Falls Comm School District	—
Elementary Schools	7	—
Middle Schools	2	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	14.1:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	49.1%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	97.2%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Cedar Falls sees average highs of 28.2°F in January and 85.0°F in July, with 36.3 inches of annual precipitation and 39.1 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Cedar Falls, IA
Average High — January	28.2°F
Average High — July	85.0°F
Annual Precipitation	36.3"
Annual Snowfall	39.1"

Demographics

Metric	Cedar Falls, IA	National Avg
Population	40,686	—
Median Age	28.0	38.9
Unemployment Rate	3.0%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	15.3 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	92.0%	59.3%
Black or African American	1.3%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1.0%	18.9%
Asian	4.0%	6.3%
Under 18	17.7%	22.2%
65 and over	15.5%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Waterloo, IA 6 mi Hudson, IA 6 mi Janesville, IA 9 mi New Hartford, IA 9 mi Dike, IA 10 mi

ZIP Codes in Cedar Falls

Cedar Falls, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

50613

Cedar Falls vs Other Cities

Cedar Falls, IA vs Waterloo, IA Cedar Falls, IA vs Hudson, IA Cedar Falls, IA vs Janesville, IA Cedar Falls, IA vs New Hartford, IA Cedar Falls, IA vs Dike, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cedar Falls, IA affordable or expensive?

Cedar Falls's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average. That makes Cedar Falls roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $244,800 and median rent is $1,112/month.

What is the crime rate in Cedar Falls, IA?

Cedar Falls's violent crime rate is 258.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1350.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Cedar Falls?

Public schools in Cedar Falls are operated by Cedar Falls Comm School District. The district has 7 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.1:1. 49.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Cedar Falls, IA a good place to live?

Cedar Falls, IA has a population of 40,686, a median household income of $71,011, and an unemployment rate of 3.0%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Cedar Falls?

Cedar Falls averages 28.2°F in January and 85.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 36.3 inches with about 39.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Cedar Falls?

Cedar Falls, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50613.

What is the population of Cedar Falls?

The population of Cedar Falls, Iowa is 40,686 with a median age of 28.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Cedar Falls?

Key numbers for living in Cedar Falls: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $244,800, median household income $71,011, crime index 67 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Cedar Falls side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.