METRO AREA
Ames Metro
Ames, IA · 2 counties · 128,090 residents (2025 est.) · 1,143 sq mi
Time machine
VIEWING
COMPARE TO
The short version
Ames is home to 127,134 people. The median age is 30.2, younger than the US median of 38.9. Few US metro areas rank higher on income. 49% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. 76% were living in the same home a year earlier. The average commute runs 19 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 30.2
US median: 38.9
More educated
49% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 34%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
127,134
+20%since 2000
from 106,205 in 2000
128,090 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
1,143 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024127K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.4%(5,605)
5 to 94.8%(6,137)
10 to 144.8%(6,068)
15 to 1912%(15,224)
20 to 2417.2%(21,827)
25 to 3412.6%(16,046)
35 to 4410.8%(13,696)
45 to 548.9%(11,368)
55 to 649.9%(12,564)
65 to 748.8%(11,186)
75 to 844.1%(5,158)
85 and over1.8%(2,255)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$72,589
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,521 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
48.7%
+19.7 ptssince 2009
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.5%
Retail trade9.6%
Wholesale trade6.1%
Other services5.2%
Finance & insurance3.9%
Public administration3.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.3%
Professional, scientific, technical3.2%
Construction3%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
Education & health services0.7%
Manufacturing0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$248,988
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $102,328 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
3.5
+12%since 2009
from 3.1 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.
58
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic92.2%(97,950)
Black1.4%(1,520)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(1,456)
Asian3.9%(4,133)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic83.5%(106,132)
Black2.4%(3,018)
Hispanic / Latino4.7%(5,967)
Asian5.3%(6,694)
Other4.2%(5,323)
37
+71%since 2009
from 21 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
29
−24%since 2020
from 38 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican2.8%(3,541)
Central American0.5%(574)
Puerto Rican0.3%(415)
South American0.3%(406)
Guatemalan0.3%(330)
Venezuelan0.2%(174)
Cuban0.2%(168)
Salvadoran0.1%(133)
Spaniard0.1%(122)
Argentine0.1%(80)
Colombian0%(53)
Panamanian0%(49)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0%(48)
Peruvian0%(43)
Uruguayan0%(35)
Honduran0%(32)
Costa Rican0%(25)
Chilean0%(16)
Nicaraguan0%(5)
Ecuadorian0%(5)
Asian origin
Chinese1.5%(1,871)
Asian Indian1.4%(1,358)
Korean1.1%(1,059)
Vietnamese0.3%(368)
Filipino0.3%(358)
Bangladeshi0.3%(314)
Indonesian0.1%(102)
Nepalese0.1%(96)
Pakistani0.1%(92)
Sri Lankan0.1%(84)
Japanese0.1%(77)
Laotian0.1%(67)
Ancestry
German29.9%(37,984)
Irish11.1%(14,117)
English10.8%(13,704)
Norwegian7.9%(10,077)
American3.2%(4,078)
Swedish3%(3,817)
Dutch2.3%(2,933)
Italian2.2%(2,844)
Danish1.7%(2,199)
Scottish1.7%(2,174)
Polish1.4%(1,821)
French1.4%(1,732)
+ 42 more ancestry groups with data
Czech1.2%(1,480)
Subsaharan African1%(1,285)
Welsh0.7%(840)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(787)
British0.6%(777)
Swiss0.4%(528)
Arab0.4%(468)
Russian0.3%(377)
Belgian0.3%(365)
Iranian0.3%(318)
Brazilian0.3%(317)
Canadian0.2%(258)
Greek0.2%(199)
Lebanese0.1%(165)
Romanian0.1%(164)
Austrian0.1%(162)
Nigerian0.1%(155)
French Canadian0.1%(126)
Finnish0.1%(123)
Hungarian0.1%(120)
Croatian0.1%(114)
Somali0.1%(98)
Ghanaian0.1%(85)
Turkish0.1%(81)
Portuguese0.1%(78)
Ukrainian0.1%(75)
Lithuanian0.1%(74)
Jordanian0.1%(64)
Bulgarian0%(60)
Latvian0%(56)
West Indian0%(48)
Armenian0%(44)
Slovak0%(42)
Ethiopian0%(39)
Slovene0%(38)
Egyptian0%(33)
Guyanese0%(31)
Jamaican0%(31)
Palestinian0%(19)
Serbian0%(19)
Australian0%(14)
Barbadian0%(13)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
96.9%
+4.5 ptssince 2000
from 92.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
79.0%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 80.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
97.3%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 94.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married51.7%(29,505)
Married39.9%(22,751)
Widowed2.5%(1,434)
Divorced5.9%(3,396)
Women 15+
Never married41.2%(21,515)
Married43.4%(22,691)
Widowed6.2%(3,215)
Divorced9.2%(4,817)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
17.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 16.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
1.6%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 1.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
83.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 83.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
25.3%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 23.7% 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)24.2%(1,104)
Gulf War (1990s)16.5%(753)
Vietnam era34.4%(1,569)
Korean War4.3%(194)
World War II2.3%(104)
Share of the 4,555 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
In this metro
Largest cities
What's inside
2 component counties
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Ames
Augusta
Pop 129,067
Harrisonburg
Pop 140,155
Glens Falls
Pop 124,373
Flagstaff
Pop 144,368
Places similar to AmesHead to head
Compare Ames side by side
AMES VS
Augusta
Income$69,077−5%
Home value$238,200−4%
Population129,067+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AMES VS
Harrisonburg
Income$73,776+2%
Home value$307,785+24%
Population140,155+9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AMES VS
Glens Falls
Income$76,067+5%
Home value$233,211−6%
Population124,373−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AMES VS
Flagstaff
Income$72,966+1%
Home value$448,000+80%
Population144,368+13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Ames, IA?
Ames, IA has about 127,134 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ames, IA?
The typical household in Ames, IA earns about $72,589 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Ames, IA expensive?
In Ames, IA, the median home is worth about $248,988, and the typical rent is about $982 a month.
How educated are people in Ames, IA?
About 49.3% of adults age 25 and over in Ames, IA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Ames, IA?
About 15.7% of people in Ames, IA live below the federal poverty line.
Has Ames, IA grown since 1990?
Yes, Ames, IA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 27,696 residents, a change of about 28 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here
DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024