The Town FilesWaterloo, New York
Village in Seneca County · population 4,810 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,300
- Household income
- $51,642
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 50.8
Waterloo is a village of 4,810 people in Seneca County, New York. The median home is worth $114,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 70% of New York towns.
How Waterloo ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Waterloo is worth $114,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $51,642, which is more affordable than 76% of New York towns. Median rent is $927 a month. 68.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waterloo | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,300 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $927 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $51,642 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 68.7% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Waterloo
| People | Waterloo | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.8 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 12.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 13.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Waterloo
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 15.8°F. About 34.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.6 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterloo since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 7, 2025 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 7, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 21, 2013.
Severe weather in Seneca County since 1996
Seneca County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| October 1, 2018 | Flood | DR-4397: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 30, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3262: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Seneca County
Seneca County had 10,274 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,386 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Waterloo itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.
Public schools in Waterloo
4 public schools with 1,392 students, about 9.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WATERLOO HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 398 | 8.5 |
| WATERLOO MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 347 | 10.2 |
| SKOI-YASE SCHOOL | PK-2 | 338 | 8.7 |
| LA FAYETTE SCHOOL | 3-5 | 309 | 9.4 |
Towns near Waterloo
- Waterloo, NY2.9 mi · 7,378 people · home $117,500
- Seneca Falls, NY3.2 mi · 6,809 people · home $123,700
- Seneca Falls, NY3.6 mi · 9,027 people · home $137,100
- Fayette, NY4.3 mi · 3,657 people · home $173,900
- Geneva, NY6.9 mi · 12,812 people · home $165,500
- Geneva, NY8.9 mi · 3,473 people · home $232,600
- Aurelius, NY9.8 mi · 2,611 people · home $167,000
- Phelps, NY10.2 mi · 6,637 people · home $166,300
Waterloo questions
Is Waterloo, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waterloo scores better for retirees than 47% of New York towns and quieter than 39%. 29.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.8).
How much does a house cost in Waterloo?
The median owner-occupied home in Waterloo is valued at $114,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,642, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $927 a month.
What is the weather like in Waterloo?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 15.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.6 inches of precipitation a year and 56.6 inches of snow.
Does Waterloo get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterloo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 7, 2025. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)