7 Best Independent Living Communities in Waterloo, IL

Independent Living

An Independent Living Community provides residents the ability to live their active lives while ensuring their care requirements have been fulfilled. Basic tasks such as meal preparation and housekeeping are handled by staff and a calendar of recreational and social activities is provided, allowing residents the autonomy to use their time as they wish, free from daily responsibilities. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy the opportunity to be among peers, surrounded by others of similar ages and backgrounds. Residents’ quarters consist of private living spaces, each with their own kitchen. The independence of apartment life is still enjoyed, offering opportunities to socialize with guests and visitors in a private and personal setting. While policies differ between communities, a number of residences allow pets as well. Nursing and health care services may always be arranged for with independent care providers if desired. There are a variety of expenditures and advantages to keep in mind when deciding on an independent living community. It is important to figure out if these amenities are included in the care plan: move-in fee, housekeeping, wellness program, Waiting list deposit, private phone, utilities, transportation, and field trips. The luxuries associated with independent living include community activities, laundry service, golf course, beauty salon & barber shop, restaurant-style dining hall, fitness center & swimming pool, security guards, and game/TV room.

Cost of Living

Senior living community price is determined by the destination where it is located. The rent burden for Waterloo is around 17.8% of the average person’s monthly income. Waterloo has a median home value of $180,493 and the median cost of rent is about $1,176 per month.

Demographics and Values

Out of the total population of Waterloo, 13.3% have some form of disability, 65.2% participate in the labor force, 6.7% are widows, and 4.6% do not have health insurance. Waterloo has a population density of 491 people per square mile. The current population of Waterloo consists of 10,135 people and in total the Waterloo metro area has a population of 10,355. Racially, the population of Waterloo is 0.2% other or not specified, 0.2% Asian, 0.5% mixed race, 1.8% Hispanic, 0.4% black, 0.0% Native American, 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, and 98.7% white. In Waterloo, 6.2% of the population are veterans. Out of the total city population, 53.2% are female and 46.8% are male. The median age of Waterloo is 41 years old. In terms of education, 28.5% have a high-school diploma, 10.3% have a graduate degree, and 27.8% have a college degree.

State Information

An overview of Illinois

The state of Illinois has a cost of living index of 95.7 where a score of 100 is the national average, and anything below 100 is considered less expensive than the national average. The state has a grocery index rating of 94.2 and a housing index rating of 87.2. Residents of Illinois enjoy its natural beauty which ranks 43rd in the United States. Overall, Illinois ranks 35th out of all states in quality of life and 22nd in healthcare. The state of Illinois has 199 hospitals and 383 health centers, providing care to a population of 12,696,123. Sherman Hospital, Sam Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Centralia, and And Midwestern Region Medical Center are among the top three highest ranked hospitals in the state.

Social demographics of the state

In terms of diversity, Illinois ranks 10th in the nation and is considered LGBTQ friendly. The state has a median age of 38 and 29% of its population being over the age of 55. In terms of religious values, 34% of Illinois’s population regularly attend some form of service and there are in total 12,453 different congregations. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-2%, Muslim-<1%, and Buddhist-<1%, with the most common Christian denominations consisting of Evangelical Protestant-20%, Mainline Protestant-16%, and Historically Black Protestant-7%. In Illinois there are 518 masonic lodges. In the last presidential election 56% of Illinois residents voted Democrat and 39% voted Republican.

State-wide weather information

The average temperature in the summer rises to around 73F. The average high summer temperature is around 91F in the month of July. The average low summer temperature is around 53F in the month of June. During the winter, the average temperature in Illinois drops to around 28F. During the winter, the average high temperature peaks at around 49F during the month of February. The average low temperature during the winter drops to around 10F in the month of January. The average monthly precipitation for the state of Illinois is around 3.33 inches. The average amount of precipitation peaks during the month of May at around 6.02 inches. On average, Illinois has an air quality index rating of around 37.7 AQI. The average air quality index rating peaks in the month of May with a rating of around 54.5 AQI. On average, the humidity rating for Illinois is around 71%. The highest monthly average humidity rating is 78% in the month of December. While residents of Illinois mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Illinois can include floods, earthquakes (moderate), and and tornadoes.

Wildlife to be found in Illinois

The state of Illinois has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of black eyedSusan, angelica, black snakeroot, and aromatic aster. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the coyote, the cougar, the big brown bat, or the eastern red bat. The state animal of Illinois is the white-tailed deer.