Ames, IA vs Grimes, IA

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

MetricAmes, IAGrimes, IA
Population67,66916,366
Median Household Income$60,991$120,037
Median Rent$1,023/mo$1,251/mo
Median Home Value$277,400$304,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)8992
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income48.9%27.3%
Poverty Rate25.5%4.4%
Unemployment Rate2.8%3.7% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k103140*
Property Crime Rate /100k1,267791*
Median AQI—44
Good AQI Days /yr—224
Summer Highs82°F83°F
Winter Lows14°F16°F
Snowfall27 in/yr38 in/yr
Avg Commute15.6 min19.6 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher14.916.6
College Degree Rate65.8%51.5%
Foreign-Born %11.6%10.5%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+2.7%+12.2%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
* Rate of the agency that polices Grimes (the city has no police department of its own), so it isn’t scored.