FHFA quarterly index through 2026 Q2Annual index 1975–2025Permits through August 2026
Waterloo-Cedar Falls (100 = first year)United States, rebased to the same startNBER recession
FHFA notes: The FHFA HPI is a broad measure of the movement of single-family house prices. The FHFA HPI is a weighted, repeat-sales index, meaning that it measures average price changes in repeat sales or refinancings on the same properties. The line above is FHFA's standard quarterly all-transactions index for the metropolitan area; the comparison table below uses FHFA's annual CBSA index, which FHFA describes as developmental. The index does not give a dollar value for any home.
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metropolitan area covers 3 counties. Its FHFA house price index, starting in 1975, stood at 558 in 2025, +458.1% above the base of 100.
The standard quarterly index for the area, published through 2026 Q2, is +2.6% on a year earlier and +1.2% on the previous quarter.
Over the ten years to 2025 the annual index rose +51.4% (+4.2% a year), below Iowa at +65.4% and well below the national +85.0%.
Across its counties, 448 housing units were authorised in the 12 months to August 2026, 2.6 per 1,000 residents, +3.7% on the previous 12 months.
+2.6%year to 2026 Q2, quarterly indexUS +3.0%
+1.9%1 year, 2024–2025US +2.8%
+38.1%5 yearsUS +47.0%
+51.4%10 years+4.2% a year annualised
+115.3%since 2000US +158.3%
448units permitted, 12 months2.6 per 1,000 residents
FHFA annual all-transactions indexes over identical years.
Decade by decade
Decade
Change
United States
1980s (1980–1990)
−3.8%
+68.2%
1990s (1990–2000)
+71.4%
+33.9%
2000s (2000–2010)
+33.9%
+29.7%
2010s (2010–2020)
+16.4%
+35.5%
2020s so far (2020–2025)
+38.1%
+47.0%
FHFA reports each index with a value of 100 in its base period, the first year the area has enough transactions (1975 here). A decade's change is the index at the end of the decade divided by the index at the start, so it does not depend on the base year; the United States column covers the same years. Decades before 1975 are not shown.
Peak-to-low declines
Peak
Low
Decline
Peak regained
1982
1987
−25.8%
1992
1979
1981
−7.9%
1982
Building permits across the area
Housing units authorised in the area's 3 counties (OMB July 2023 delineations), summed from county files.
Housing units authorised in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA area by month, latest 12 monthssingle-family2+ unit buildings
Housing units authorised in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA area by month, latest 60 monthssingle-family2+ unit buildings
Housing units authorised in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA area by year, 1995–2025single-family2+ unit buildings
Permits, 12 months to August 2026
This area
Iowa
United States
Housing units authorised
448
12,933
1,418,086
Units per 1,000 residents
2.6
4.0
4.1
Single-family share
49%
57%
63%
Change on previous 12 months
+3.7%
−5.1%
−0.1%
Counties in the area
Ranked by ten-year change in FHFA's county index to 2025; permits are the latest 12 months.
How much have home values in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA area risen over 10 years?
The FHFA annual index rose +51.4% between 2015 and 2025, about +4.2% a year. Over 20 years: +70.0%; since 2000: +115.3%. The quarterly index is +2.6% on a year earlier as of 2026 Q2.
Which counties in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA area rose most?
By ten-year change to 2025: Grundy County (+69.5%), Bremer County (+53.4%) and Black Hawk County (+49.6%).
What happened to Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA prices after 2007?
The area index shows no decline of 5% or more from a 2005–2008 peak; nationally the fall was −21.3%.
How many homes are being built in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA area?
448 housing units were authorised across the area's counties in the 12 months to August 2026, 49% of them single-family, 2.6 per 1,000 residents.
Where does this data come from?
FHFA's annual CBSA house price index (developmental, updated March 31, 2026) and its standard quarterly metropolitan index; Census Bureau building permits summed over member counties (OMB July 2023 delineations) through August 2026; vintage 2025 population estimates.
Provenance
Index: Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual house price index for core based statistical areas (all-transactions, developmental), last updated March 31, 2026, values 1975–2025; quarterly metropolitan area index (all-transactions) through 2026 Q2. Permits: Census Bureau Building Permits Survey county files through August 2026, summed over member counties from OMB's July 2023 delineations. Population: Census Bureau vintage 2025 estimates. Public domain. Corrections · FHFA HPI datasets.