Ames, IA vs Fort Dodge, IA

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

MetricAmes, IAFort Dodge, IA
Population67,66924,827
Median Household Income$60,991$60,649
Median Rent$1,023/mo$785/mo
Median Home Value$277,400$144,100
Cost of Living (US = 100)89—
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income48.9%42.2%
Poverty Rate25.5%15.9%
Unemployment Rate2.8%3.8%
Violent Crime Rate /100k103940
Property Crime Rate /100k1,2672,848
Median AQI—45
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs82°F81°F
Winter Lows14°F11°F
Snowfall27 in/yr39 in/yr
Avg Commute15.6 min19 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 52.0 / 5
Students per Teacher14.916.5
College Degree Rate65.8%21.7%
Foreign-Born %11.6%4.1%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+2.7%-0.2%

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