Ames, IA vs Ankeny, IA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricAmes, IAAnkeny, IA
Population67,66972,615
Median Household Income$60,991$108,198
Median Rent$1,023/mo$1,319/mo
Median Home Value$277,400$331,000
Cost of Living (US = 100)8992
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income48.9%41.2%
Poverty Rate25.5%4.2%
Unemployment Rate2.8%3.1%
Violent Crime Rate /100k103151
Property Crime Rate /100k1,2671,032
Median AQI—44
Good AQI Days /yr—224
Summer Highs82°F84°F
Winter Lows14°F15°F
Snowfall27 in/yr25 in/yr
Avg Commute15.6 min21.1 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher14.915.3
College Degree Rate65.8%52.1%
Foreign-Born %11.6%4.7%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+2.7%+14.3%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.