CITY
Ames
Iowa · 68,220 residents (2025 est.) · 28.2 sq mi
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The short version
With 67,669 people, Ames is a city in Iowa. The median age is 23.3, younger than the US median of 38.9. 66% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. 63% were living in the same home a year earlier. Owners hold 42% of the housing stock. 25.5% of people here live below the federal poverty line.
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
67,669
+33%since 2000
from 50,731 in 2000
68,220 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
28.2 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202468K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 52.9%(1,945)
5 to 92.9%(1,974)
10 to 143%(2,030)
15 to 1917.3%(11,703)
20 to 2428.7%(19,398)
25 to 3413.2%(8,904)
35 to 447.9%(5,376)
45 to 546.6%(4,467)
55 to 646.5%(4,378)
65 to 746.4%(4,351)
75 to 843.2%(2,143)
85 and over1.5%(1,000)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$60,991
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,042 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
40.2%
+15.9 ptssince 2009
from 24.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.3%
Retail trade7.5%
Other services4.7%
Wholesale trade3.6%
Public administration3.1%
Finance & insurance2.7%
Professional, scientific, technical2.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.9%
Construction1.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
Education & health services0.6%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$277,400
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $125,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
4.5
+3%since 2009
from 4.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
52
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
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)
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)
Central American0.6%(439)
Puerto Rican0.5%(353)
South American0.4%(280)
Guatemalan0.4%(275)
Venezuelan0.3%(174)
Spaniard0.2%(111)
Salvadoran0.1%(85)
Cuban0.1%(66)
Colombian0.1%(46)
Panamanian0.1%(43)
Uruguayan0%(30)
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)
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)
Subsaharan African1.6%(1,116)
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)
French Canadian0.1%(73)
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)
West Indian0%(32)
Guyanese0%(31)
Slovak0%(26)
Palestinian0%(19)
Serbian0%(19)
Jamaican0%(19)
Barbadian0%(13)
Egyptian0%(10)
Romanian0%(10)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
97.9%
+2.6 ptssince 2000
from 95.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
78.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 78.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
98.0%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 95.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
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
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
18.9%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 15.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
1.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
86.0%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 85.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
19.5%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 17.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)33.5%(609)
Gulf War (1990s)9.2%(167)
Vietnam era31.8%(579)
Korean War4%(72)
World War II3.1%(56)
Share of the 1,819 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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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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IowaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024