© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Iowa
Mason City
Population 27,050
© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Iowa
Ames
Population 67,669
Mason City, IA vs Ames, IA
Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.
| Metric | Mason City, IA | Ames, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,050 | 67,669 |
| Median Household Income | $64,804 | $60,991 |
| Median Rent | $882/mo | $1,023/mo |
| Median Home Value | $142,000 | $277,400 |
| Cost of Living (US = 100) | — | 89 |
| Renters Paying 30%+ of Income | 34.1% | 48.9% |
| Poverty Rate | 12% | 25.5% |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 2.8% |
| Violent Crime Rate /100k | 354 | 103 |
| Property Crime Rate /100k | 2,580 | 1,267 |
| Median AQI | 19 | — |
| Good AQI Days /yr | — | — |
| Summer Highs | 80°F | 82°F |
| Winter Lows | 11°F | 14°F |
| Snowfall | 44 in/yr | 27 in/yr |
| Avg Commute | 13.5 min | 15.6 min |
| Hospitals | 1 | 1 |
| Avg Hospital Rating | 2.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Students per Teacher | 14.4 | 14.9 |
| College Degree Rate | 20.8% | 65.8% |
| Foreign-Born % | 3.3% | 11.6% |
| Population Growth (2020–2025) | -1.8% | +2.7% |
Mason City, IA
Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.