NAICS 51

Information in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

Metro Market Score 48.5 (Challenging), ranked #182 of 294 metros. 86 establishments, 598 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 48.5
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

💰High-Cost Market

Waterloo-Cedar Falls's information market sits near the national metro median, ranking #182 of 294 with a market score of 48.5. No single metric stands out as an outlier, which means entry conditions depend more on your specific business model than on broad market forces.

Industry Concentration
35.7
LQ: 0.38
Rank #105 of 294 metros
Wage Competitiveness
76.5
$99,758 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 56.1
Employment growth index
Rank #130 of 294 metros
Wage Pressure
36.1
YoY wage change index

86 Information Firms in Waterloo-Cedar Falls

86
Establishments
+1.2% YoY
598
Total Employment
-1.5% YoY
$99,758
Average Annual Wage
+21.0% YoY
0.38
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Waterloo-Cedar Falls vs Iowa Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Iowa overall. The state ranks #15/51 for entry risk.

Measure Waterloo-Cedar Falls IA Statewide
Overall Score 48.5 Challenging 38.3 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #182 of 294 metros #15 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Waterloo-Cedar Falls

Accommodation and Food Services 32.7 Administrative and Support Services 34.3 Construction 37.4 Retail Trade 51.3 Other Services 67.9

Information in Other Iowa Metros

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island 29.5 #56/294 Iowa City 30.0 #60/294 Ames 39.9 #114/294 Sioux City 51.0 #196/294 Des Moines-West Des Moines 51.6 #198/294 Dubuque 58.5 #228/294 Cedar Rapids 70.9 #279/294

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Waterloo-Cedar Falls's information sector, the wage competitiveness component (76.5) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.