Neighborhood · Des Moines, IA

Waterbury Eviction Risk: Lower

1 census tracts · pop 3,888 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 2/10 · range 2–2

Waterbury is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Des Moines with 1 census tract and a population of 3,888 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 2/10 (Lower tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 22% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 0% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $940/month sits 14% lower than the Des Moines citywide average ($1,090).

Risk score

Lower

1 tracts · population-weighted

Waterbury vs Des Moines How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

21.6% -27%

Des Moines: 29.6%

Average gross rent

$940 -14%

Des Moines: $1,090

Average HH income

$153,750 +140%

Des Moines: $63,966

Poverty rate

2.0% -87%

Des Moines: 14.9%

Renter share

11.1% -72%

Des Moines: 39.5%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Waterbury and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 2–2

Why Waterbury scores 2

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 2.3–2.3 across tracts

2.3

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 5.8–5.8 across tracts

5.8

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 4.5–4.5 across tracts

4.5

Rent control risk

22% of income on rent · Range 1.0–1.0 across tracts

1.0

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 2.5–2.5 across tracts

2.5

Tenant organizing strength

11% renter households · Range 3.0–3.0 across tracts

3.0

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 2.5–2.5 across tracts

2.5

Economic stress

2.0% below poverty line · Range 1.0–1.0 across tracts

1.0

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 2.7–2.7 across tracts

2.7

Risk score comparison

Waterbury vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in Waterbury

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
19153003002	2	3,888	22%	$940

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 5

Pop-weighted across 1 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 1%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 14%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 24%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 27%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in Waterbury

Aggregated across 1 validated constituent tract. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

148Total filings (sum)
5.45%Avg annual filing rate
8.2%Peak year (2006)
5.11%Latest filed (2015)

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Waterbury

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

4.8%Housing insecurity
3.4%Utility shutoff threat
4.7%Food insecurity
3.3%SNAP enrollment
3.2%No health insurance
18.4%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Waterbury

What is the eviction-risk score for Waterbury?

Waterbury scores 2/10 (Lower tier) across 1 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does Waterbury compare to Des Moines overall?

Waterbury scores 0.6 points lower than Des Moines overall (2.6/10). Renters spend 22% of income on rent vs 30% citywide. Average rent: $940 vs $1,090.

What is the average rent in Waterbury?

Average gross rent in Waterbury is $940/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 22% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Waterbury residents are renters?

11% of Waterbury households are renter-occupied (vs 40% in Des Moines). The neighborhood has 3,888 residents.

Is Waterbury a high social-vulnerability area?

Waterbury sits in the 5th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (low vulnerability). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

How safe is Waterbury for landlords?

Waterbury carries a lower-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (2/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Des Moines as a whole (2.6/10), this neighborhood is lower-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Waterbury?

Waterbury has 3,889 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (86.2%), Asian (non-Hispanic) (7.6%), Other / Multiracial (3.6%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Waterbury

3.2 Waveland Park 2 tracts · pop 6,019 3.6 Frisbie Park 2 tracts · pop 9,369 3 Merle Hay 5 tracts · pop 20,903 4.2 Drake 2 tracts · pop 8,362 3.1 Beaverdale 2 tracts · pop 6,191 2.9 Southwestern Hills 2 tracts · pop 3,019

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Des Moines

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Waterbury.

2.3 Easter Lake Area 1 tracts · pop 7,773 2.4 Southwestern Hills 2 tracts · pop 3,019 2.6 Greenwood 1 tracts · pop 2,871 2.8 Westwood 1 tracts · pop 1,844 2.9 Watrous Heights 1 tracts · pop 4,570 2.9 Merle Hay 5 tracts · pop 20,903

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