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Living in
Ames.
About
Life in Ames
If you're considering Ames, understand that this is fundamentally a college town where Iowa State's presence shapes everything—from the age demographics (median age 23.6) to the rental market to weekend social life. That said, it's not all students: the city hosts substantial federal research operations and state government offices that provide stable employment beyond academia. Housing is genuinely affordable by regional standards, with median home values around $277,400 and median rent at $1,023 monthly, though rents have been rising faster than wages in recent years.
Ames at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
23.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
25.5%
Foreign-Born
11.6%
Broadband Internet
74.2%
of households
Population Growth
+2.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.6% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Ames: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ames, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (16.7%), and 3.5% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
11.2%
of residents
65 and Older
11.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
15.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.6%
of households
Married Couples
31.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.14
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for IA
Rent, home values, and income in Ames
In Ames, home values are 33% above the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
88.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,850
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
42.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1992
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $301,900 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below IA average
Unemployment in Ames
Unemployment in Ames is 0.7 percentage points lower than the IA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Ames Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.6 min avg
How Ames residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ames, most residents drive alone to work (63%), and 86% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 34 mi
Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 69% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Ames runs 69% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
103.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,267.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Ames Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
68.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Story County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Story County, which includes Ames, the most common type is hail, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Hail | None reported |
| 2024 | 21 | Hail | $3.2M |
| 2023 | 13 | Hail | $20,000 |
| 2022 | 21 | Heavy Rain | $1,000 |
| 2021 | 20 | Drought | $30,000 |
| 2020 | 10 | Drought | None reported |
| 2019 | 24 | Flood | $373,000 |
| 2018 | 42 | Hail | $2.2M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Story County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Polk County, IA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 24 miles from Ames) is typically good — 224 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
224
per year
Moderate Days
139
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Polk County, IA (24 mi away)
Climate82°F summers, 14°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ames has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 14°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
32°/14°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
38.5"
Annual Snowfall
27.3"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
147
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
116
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 11°F | 0.61" |
| Feb | 33°F | 15°F | 0.78" |
| Mar | 47°F | 27°F | 1.95" |
| Apr | 61°F | 38°F | 3.89" |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 5.16" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 5.22" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.44" |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 4.85" |
| Sep | 76°F | 51°F | 3.31" |
| Oct | 63°F | 39°F | 2.77" |
| Nov | 47°F | 27°F | 1.88" |
| Dec | 34°F | 17°F | 1.05" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ames
Ames has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Mary Greeley Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Story County Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 9.7 mi away · Nevada
Boone County Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 13.3 mi away · Boone
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ames
Ames's student/teacher ratio is 14.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 65.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
65.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Ames
Public · 4-year · 25,367 students · in-state tuition $11,092 · 74% graduate · median earnings $67,568 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ames
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Ames
Ames Public Library
515 Douglas Ave, Ames
Cities Near Ames
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ames?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ames FAQ
Is Ames, Iowa affordable?⌄
Ames's median rent is $1,023/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $60,991/year. Median home value is $277,400.
Is Ames, Iowa safe?⌄
Ames's violent crime rate was 103 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1267 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Ames, Iowa?⌄
Ames has an unemployment rate of 2.8%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Ames, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Ames is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,023/month and median household income is $60,991/year. The median home value is $277,400. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ames, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Ames is 16 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from