Waterloo, IL · standard
ZIP Code 62298
Monroe County, Illinois - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 16,609
- 45/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $101,155
- Median income Above-median income area
- $290,200
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 36.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Waterloo pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 18%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 35%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 45
- people per sq mi
- 85%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 62298 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 62298 (Waterloo, IL) rose +8.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 186.8 in 2023 to 201.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 62298 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Waterloo, Monroe County, Illinois, home to 16,609 residents across 373.2 square miles, a density of 45 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 62298 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $101,155 (26% above the average Illinois ZIP), while per-capita income is $48,901. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 4.9% and unemployment is 2.0%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $290,200 (51% above the average Illinois ZIP), while 85.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $890.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 36.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.1, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 more in Monroe County, so 62298 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 62298
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waterloo, IL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 62298.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
53 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
49 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
48 establishments
- Construction
Construction
47 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
46 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 62298, Waterloo, IL · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
16,609
Population
373.2
Area (sq mi)
45
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 62298?
44.1
Median Age
50.0%
Male
50.0%
Female
1.8%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$101,155
Median Household Income
+26% vs state ZIP avg
$48,901
Per Capita Income
4.9%
Poverty Rate
2.0%
Unemployment Rate
29.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 62298 ranks among Illinois ZIPs
Waterloo, IL household income vs. every Illinois ZIP code
Median household income among 1,334 reporting Illinois ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$101,155 Top 18% higher than 82% of 1,334 Illinois ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Illinois ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
7,712housing units
7,712
Total Housing Units
7,213
Occupied Units
499
Vacant Units
2.49
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$290,200
Median Home Value
+51% vs state ZIP avg
$890
Median Rent
1991
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+8.0%
YoY Change (2024)
202
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+102%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 62298 have increased 8.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +102% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.1% | 144 |
| 2021 | +7.9% | 156 |
| 2022 | +12.5% | 175 |
| 2023 | +6.7% | 187 |
| 2024 | +8.0% | 202 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 410 business establishments in ZIP 62298, employing approximately 3,660 people with a combined annual payroll of $138,883,000.
410
Businesses
3,660
Employees
$138.9M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 53 | 12.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 49 | 11.9% |
| Retail trade | 48 | 11.7% |
| Construction | 47 | 11.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 46 | 11.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 38 | 9.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 34 | 8.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 23 | 5.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 16 | 3.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 13 | 3.2% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 2.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 9 | 2.2% |
| Information | 9 | 2.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 8 | 1.9% |
| Educational services | 4 | 1.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 62298 vs 62244 →
ZIP 62298 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 62298
Waterloo (62298)
16,609 residents
- 62236
Columbia (62236)
12,562 residents
- 62260
Millstadt (62260)
7,290 residents
- 62285 4,484
Smithton (62285)
4,484 residents
- 62244 1,156
Fults (62244)
1,156 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 62298 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 62298 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 62285
Smithton (62285)
$136,345 median income
- 62236
Columbia (62236)
$108,981 median income
- 62244
Fults (62244)
$107,917 median income
- 62298
Waterloo (62298)
$101,155 median income
- 62260
Millstadt (62260)
$91,039 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 62298 ranks #4 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 62298, both outside IL so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (16,609 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Monroe County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 62298 in?
ZIP code 62298 (Waterloo) is located in Monroe County, Illinois. Monroe County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/monroe-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 62298?
ZIP code 62298 in Waterloo, IL has a population of 16,609 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 62298?
The median household income in ZIP 62298 is $101,155, which is 33% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 62298?
The median home value in ZIP 62298 is $290,200, which is 4% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 62298?
The largest racial group in ZIP 62298 is White at 96.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 62298?
ZIP code 62298 has 410 business establishments employing approximately 3,660 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 62298?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 62298 are: Other services (except public administration) (53), Health care and social assistance (49), Retail trade (48). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 62298?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 62298 increased by 8.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 102%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 62298?
In ZIP code 62298, 62.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 36.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 62298?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 62298 is 29.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 62298?
In ZIP code 62298, approximately 85.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 62298?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 62298 is 4.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 62298's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 62298 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Waterloo, IL ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.