CNA Home Care in Waterloo, IA: Nursing Assistants

Local figures

Nursing Assistants in Waterloo, IA: the local picture

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

602

certified beds in the 6 nearest nursing homes

$17.34

median hourly wage of home care aides in Iowa (BLS, May 2025)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

The nearest Medicare-certified nursing homes to Waterloo are Harmony Waterloo in Waterloo (1.6 mi), Friendship Village Retirement in Waterloo (2.0 mi), Ravenwood Specialty Care in Waterloo (2.2 mi). Nursing homes employ many of the area’s CNAs, and CNAs who want home care work often come from them.

Aides in Iowa earn a median $17.34 an hour (BLS, May 2025, home health and personal care aides). Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Waterloo has about 1,233 residents aged 85 or older, the group most likely to need hands-on help with bathing, transfers and toileting.

Waterloo compared with Black Hawk County and Iowa

Census figure	Waterloo	Black Hawk County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	1.8%	2.0%	2.3%
Residents 65+ with a disability	33%	30%	30%
Residents 65 or older	17%	18%	18%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	35%	32%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	7.6%	8.4%
Households with no vehicle	7.8%	6.3%	5.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$48,415	$57,493	—

Older residents in towns around Waterloo

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Evansdale, IA	4.6 mi	998	14
Cedar Falls, IA	5.5 mi	6,557	1,010
Hudson, IA	6.4 mi	467	33
Jesup, IA	15 mi	368	81
Waverly, IA	17 mi	1,954	315
Independence, IA	23 mi	1,287	159

Nursing homes near Waterloo

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Harmony Waterloo	Waterloo, IA	1.6 mi	1 of 5	88	(319) 234-7777
Friendship Village Retirement	Waterloo, IA	2.0 mi	5 of 5	72	(319) 291-8100
Ravenwood Specialty Care	Waterloo, IA	2.2 mi	1 of 5	176	(319) 232-6808
Northcrest Specialty Care	Waterloo, IA	2.3 mi	2 of 5	94	(319) 234-4423
Pinnacle Specialty Care	Cedar Falls, IA	4.1 mi	2 of 5	100	(319) 268-0489
The Suites At Western Home Communities	Cedar Falls, IA	4.4 mi	5 of 5	72	(319) 277-2141

Home health agencies serving Waterloo

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Hiawatha, IA	46 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(319) 393-4742
Mercyone Des Moines Home Care	Des Moines, IA	90 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(515) 643-8383
Mercyone Waterloo Home Health Care	Waterloo, IA	1.5 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(319) 272-5050
Unitypoint At Home	Cedar Rapids, IA	48 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	—

Straight-line miles from the center of Waterloo. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a nursing assistant can help with

Bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting
Safe transfers, repositioning and walking
Help with eating and fluids
Taking and noting vital signs if asked

Cost

What CNAs costs in Waterloo

At the Iowa median aide wage of $17.34 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,503 a month in wages, which is 37% of the $4,035 monthly median income of Waterloo households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a nursing assistant

To be certified, a nurse aide completes a state-approved training program of at least 75 hours, including 16 hours of supervised practical training, and passes a competency exam (42 CFR 483.152). The state then lists them on its nurse aide registry, which you can search online in most states.

Questions worth asking: Which state certified you, and is it current? Where have you worked as a CNA? Are you comfortable with lifts, catheters and incontinence care? More in our nursing assistants guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Nursing Assistants in Waterloo: common questions

What nursing homes are near Waterloo?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Harmony Waterloo in Waterloo (1.6 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Friendship Village Retirement in Waterloo (2.0 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Ravenwood Specialty Care in Waterloo (2.2 mi, 1 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does CNAs cost in Waterloo?

At the Iowa median aide wage of $17.34 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,503 a month in wages, which is 37% of the $4,035 monthly median income of Waterloo households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Can a CNA give medication?

Generally no. A CNA can remind someone to take medication. Giving medication is usually reserved for licensed nurses, or for aides with a separate state medication certification.

More near Waterloo

More senior care near Waterloo

Nursing Assistants in nearby cities

Other care in Waterloo

More for Waterloo families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) for Home Care in Waterloo, IA