Ames, IA vs Marshalltown, IA

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

MetricAmes, IAMarshalltown, IA
Population67,66927,626
Median Household Income$60,991$69,068
Median Rent$1,023/mo$891/mo
Median Home Value$277,400$127,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)89—
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income48.9%32.4%
Poverty Rate25.5%14.3%
Unemployment Rate2.8%7.3%
Violent Crime Rate /100k103283
Property Crime Rate /100k1,2671,302
Median AQI——
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs82°F82°F
Winter Lows14°F13°F
Snowfall27 in/yr25 in/yr
Avg Commute15.6 min17.2 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 53.0 / 5
Students per Teacher14.914.2
College Degree Rate65.8%20.9%
Foreign-Born %11.6%20.1%
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.