United States › Iowa › Ames CITY · 2010 ACS
Ames Iowa · 58,965 residents · 28.2 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 58,965 people, Ames is a city in Iowa. The median age is 23.8, younger than the US median of 37.2. 60% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 28% nationally. Owners hold 43% of the housing stock. 26.1% of people here live below the federal poverty line. The average commute runs 16 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 23.8
US median: 37.2
More educated
60% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 23.6 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
45K 51K 57K 64K 70K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Ames Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $40,321
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,042 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $18,881 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 24.3% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 20.4% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
Education & health services 0.2%
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$168,200
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $125,300 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$721
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $600 in 2000
US average: $853
from 46.1% in 2000
57.4% rent
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 57.5% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 4.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 86.3%(43,762)
Hispanic / Latino 2%(1,002)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 82.5%(48,639)
Hispanic / Latino 3.4%(2,027)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data from 58.6% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 95.3% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 28.1% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.7 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 68.3% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 45.0% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 69.2%(22,658)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 5.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 72.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 10.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 7.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 85.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
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)
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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Ames Head to head
Compare Ames to nearby cities AMES VS
Boone
Income $69,222 +72%
Home value $173,000 +3%
Population 12,471 −82%
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AMES VS
Ankeny
Income $108,198 +168%
Home value $331,000 +97%
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AMES VS
Johnston
Income $106,551 +164%
Home value $369,100 +119%
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AMES VS
Bondurant
Income $135,674 +236%
Home value $318,800 +90%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Ames, Iowa? Ames, Iowa has about 58,965 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ames, Iowa? The typical household in Ames, Iowa earns about $40,321 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 $168,200, and the typical rent is about $721 a month.
How educated are people in Ames, Iowa? About 60.5% 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 26.1% 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 11,772 residents, a change of about 25 percent over that period.
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