Map the Block › Places › Iowa › Black Hawk County
What are the crime rate and median income in Black Hawk County, Iowa?
The violent-crime rate in Black Hawk County was 3.4 per 1,000 residents (2021-2025 average, FBI), 26% higher than the statewide rate (2.7). Households here have a median income of $66,417 and the unemployment rate was 4.1% in August 2026. It is home to roughly 131,049 residents.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Black Hawk County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 442 violent and 2,405 property crimes per year. That is 3.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 26% higher than the Iowa rate (2.7), and close to the U.S. rate (3.7). For property crime the county rate is 18.3 per 1,000 (Iowa: 13.6; U.S.: 18.1). Aggravated assaults make up 78% of the violent total. CDC death records show about 7 homicide deaths a year in the county (5.4 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Black Hawk County | Per 1,000 | Iowa per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 442 | 3.4 | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 6 | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 50 | 0.38 | 0.42 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 40 | 0.30 | 0.20 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 346 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 2,405 | 18.3 | 13.6 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 506 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 1,655 | 12.6 | 9.9 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 244 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (4 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Black Hawk County?
The median household in Black Hawk County earns $66,417 a year, 12% lower than the Iowa median ($75,059). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $188,900, and the median rent is $989 a month. 11.1% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 8.8%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.1% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 2,736 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Black Hawk County | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 131,049 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $66,417 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $188,900 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $989 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 4.6% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 14.9% | 11.1% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 11.1% | 8.8% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 30.3% | 31.4% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 66.2% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 35.7 | 38.6 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 89.4% | 88.9% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 5.1% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Black Hawk County?
Black Hawk County carries a “Relatively Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: tornadoes (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
1 Superfund site is on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Black Hawk County: Waterloo Coal Gasification Plant. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 5 high-hazard dams in Black Hawk County. None is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory; 5 are rated Satisfactory or Fair. Tallest on the list: Virden Creek Dam (39 ft) and Viking Road Detention Dam (22 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
19 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 484,362 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Black Hawk County was covered by 1 federal major disaster declaration from 2016 through 2025 (Flood 1), not counting COVID-19. EPA air monitors logged 0 days in 2024 when the air quality index reached “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse. Of 11 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest). NHTSA counted 15 traffic deaths in the county in 2024.
Is there road construction in Black Hawk County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 4 highway work zones in Black Hawk County (all active that day). Roads listed: US-20, RAMP: IA-58S TO US-20 and RAMP: US-63N TO US-20. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Black Hawk County?
Federal school lists show 34 public and 10 private schools in the county. 11 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 16 fire or EMS stations and 6 police or sheriff stations. 1 state park or recreation area: George Wyth State Park.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Black Hawk County
Gun shops
7 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Black Hawk County, plus 19 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). 2 of them are pawnshops licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Duees Pawn & Gun (Cedar Falls), Ezpawn (Waterloo), Fleet Farm (Cedar Falls), Jackson's International Auctioneers & Appraisers (Cedar Falls), Peacekeeper Defense (Cedar Falls), Scheels All Sports INC (Cedar Falls) and Walmart #753 (Cedar Falls).
Liquor stores
12 liquor stores are on the map in Black Hawk County: 5 Corner's Liquor, ABC Liquor and Smoke Shack (Evansdale), Banis Convenience 4U, Broadway Liquor (Waterloo), G's Corner (Waterloo), Happy's Wine & Spirits, Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits (Waterloo), Independence Liquor & Food (Waterloo) and 4 more. Iowa has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Black Hawk County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Black Hawk County?
Black Hawk County averaged 442 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 3.4 per 1,000 residents, 26% higher than the Iowa rate (2.7). The property-crime rate was 18.3 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Black Hawk County?
$66,417 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $75,059 for Iowa and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Black Hawk County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.1% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 2,736 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Black Hawk County?
Black Hawk County carries a “Relatively Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: tornadoes (Relatively High).
Are there Superfund sites in Black Hawk County?
1 Superfund site is on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Black Hawk County: Waterloo Coal Gasification Plant.
Is there road construction in Black Hawk County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 4 highway work zones in Black Hawk County (all active that day). Roads listed: US-20, RAMP: IA-58S TO US-20 and RAMP: US-63N TO US-20.
How many nursing homes are in Black Hawk County?
11 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Black Hawk County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 25,724 | 1.6 | $86,962 |
| Bremer County | 25,204 | 1.8 | $86,784 |
| Buchanan County | 20,694 | 1.4 | $78,236 |
| Butler County | 14,268 | 0.34 | $73,715 |
| Fayette County | 19,288 | 2.2 | $60,165 |
| Grundy County | 12,384 | 0.92 | $87,205 |
| Tama County | 16,868 | 1.9 | $70,781 |
Cities in Black Hawk County with their own page: Waterloo.
More: Iowa statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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