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CITY

Ames

Iowa · 68,220 residents (2025 est.) · 28.204 sq mi
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#104Youngest by median ageof 6,82623.3#316Shortest commutesof 6,82615.6
The short version

Ames has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $60,991. Population has grown 33% since 2000. 66% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $277,400. At a median age of 23.3, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. 66% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, well above the US average, yet household income trails the national figure — a profile common to graduate-student tracts and academic hubs.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 23.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
66% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
67,669
+33%since 2000
from 50,731 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,399 / sq mi
+23%since 2009
from 1,945 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
23.3
−1%since 2000
from 23.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:68,220 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
45K51K57K64K70K1990201020202024Ames
202468K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 52.9%(1,945)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 92.9%(1,974)
US avg: 6%
10 to 143%(2,030)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 1917.3%(11,703)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2428.7%(19,398)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.2%(8,904)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 447.9%(5,376)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 546.6%(4,467)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 646.5%(4,378)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 746.4%(4,351)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.2%(2,143)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.5%(1,000)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$60,991
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,042 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$34,343
+82%since 2000
from $18,881 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
40.2%
+15.9 ptssince 2009
from 24.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
25.5%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 20.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.482
+1%since 2010
from 0.480 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade7.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services4.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade3.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration3.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance2.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing1.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$277,400
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $125,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,023
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $600 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
42.1%
−4.0 ptssince 2000
from 46.1% in 2000
57.9% rent
Vacancy rate
8.0%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
15.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
48.9%
−8.6 ptssince 2009
from 57.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.5
+3%since 2009
from 4.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
52
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Ames on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic86.3%(43,762)
Black2.6%(1,323)
Hispanic / Latino2%(1,002)
Asian7.7%(3,902)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic76.8%(51,976)
Black3.8%(2,579)
Hispanic / Latino5.1%(3,476)
Asian9.3%(6,310)
Other4.9%(3,328)
Diversity Score
49
+49%since 2009
from 33 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.6%(1,734)
Puerto Rican0.5%(353)
Guatemalan0.4%(275)
Venezuelan0.3%(174)
Spaniard0.2%(111)
Salvadoran0.1%(85)
Cuban0.1%(66)
Colombian0.1%(46)
Panamanian0.1%(43)
Uruguayan0%(30)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0%(29)
Chilean0%(16)
Honduran0%(11)
Peruvian0%(10)
Asian origin
Chinese2.7%(1,812)
Asian Indian1.8%(1,195)
Korean1.5%(1,046)
Vietnamese0.5%(339)
Filipino0.5%(330)
Bangladeshi0.5%(314)
Indonesian0.2%(102)
Nepalese0.1%(96)
Pakistani0.1%(92)
Sri Lankan0.1%(84)
Japanese0.1%(67)
Mongolian0.1%(59)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Laotian0.1%(40)
Taiwanese0%(24)
Thai0%(24)
Cambodian0%(22)
Hmong0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(27)
Samoan0%(22)
Tongan0%(9)
Ancestry
German26.3%(17,796)
Irish10.8%(7,318)
English9.4%(6,375)
Norwegian5.3%(3,586)
Italian2.6%(1,777)
American2.5%(1,694)
Swedish2.5%(1,659)
Dutch2.1%(1,420)
Polish1.9%(1,275)
Scottish1.6%(1,111)
Danish1.4%(961)
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data
French1.3%(891)
Czech1.1%(748)
British0.8%(549)
Welsh0.7%(464)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(435)
Arab0.6%(424)
Brazilian0.5%(317)
Iranian0.5%(311)
Russian0.4%(250)
Canadian0.3%(231)
Swiss0.3%(197)
Belgian0.3%(174)
Greek0.2%(155)
Lebanese0.2%(144)
Nigerian0.2%(133)
Austrian0.2%(127)
Hungarian0.1%(101)
Somali0.1%(98)
Finnish0.1%(96)
Ghanaian0.1%(85)
Turkish0.1%(81)
Lithuanian0.1%(72)
Ukrainian0.1%(71)
Jordanian0.1%(64)
Armenian0.1%(44)
Latvian0.1%(44)
Croatian0.1%(43)
Portuguese0.1%(43)
Ethiopian0.1%(39)
Slovene0.1%(38)
Bulgarian0%(32)
Guyanese0%(31)
Slovak0%(26)
Serbian0%(19)
Jamaican0%(19)
Barbadian0%(13)
Egyptian0%(10)
Romanian0%(10)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest Chinese population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
65.8%
+7.2 ptssince 2000
from 58.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
97.9%
+2.6 ptssince 2000
from 95.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
31.8%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 28.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
15.6 min
+46%since 2000
from 10.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
62.5%
−5.8 ptssince 2009
from 68.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
5.5%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.1%
+10.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
10.2%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
1.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.2%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2011
from 6.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
66.2%
−2.2 ptssince 2011
from 68.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
18.5%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
47.9%
−22.4 ptssince 2009
from 70.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
53.0%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 52.4% in 2009
Female
47.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 47.6% in 2009
Foreign born
11.6%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.0%
−49.8 ptssince 2009
from 52.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
9.1%
+3.4 ptssince 2012
from 5.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.4%
−89.9 ptssince 2013
from 94.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
74.2%
−7.5 ptssince 2017
from 81.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
86.0%
−0.7 ptssince 2016
from 86.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2016
from 2.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married69.2%(22,658)
Married26.2%(8,591)
Widowed1.5%(499)
Divorced3.1%(1,016)
Women 15+
Never married59%(17,098)
Married30.2%(8,733)
Widowed3.8%(1,100)
Divorced7%(2,025)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Ames to nearby cities

AMES VS
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AMES VS
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AMES VS
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AMES VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Ames, Iowa?

Ames, Iowa has about 67,669 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Ames, Iowa?

The typical household in Ames, Iowa earns about $60,991 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Ames, Iowa expensive?

In Ames, Iowa, the median home is worth about $277,400, and the typical rent is about $1,023 a month.

How educated are people in Ames, Iowa?

About 65.8% of adults age 25 and over in Ames, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Ames, Iowa?

About 25.5% of people in Ames, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.

Has Ames, Iowa grown since 1990?

Yes, Ames, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 20,476 residents, a change of about 43 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →