Waidhofen an der Ybbs is a statutory city (Statutarstadt) in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. The city had a population of 11,662 as of the 2001 census and an area of 131.56 km². It was first mentioned in 1186 and has been the economic centre of the Ybbstal region since the 14th century.

Lower Austria is one of the nine states of Austria, located in the northeastern corner of the country. Since 1986, the capital of Lower Austria has been Sankt Pölten, replacing Vienna, which became a separate state in 1921. With a land area of 19,186 km2 (7,408 sq mi) and a population of 1.685 million people, Lower Austria is the second-most-populous state in Austria. Other large cities are Amstetten, Klosterneuburg, Krems an der Donau, Stockerau and Wiener Neustadt.