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METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Ames Metro

Ames, IA · 2 counties · 99,438 residents · 1,143.005 sq mi
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The short version

Ames has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $26,527. Population has declined 6% since 2000. 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 20%. Median home value is $57,723. At a median age of 28.7, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. 32% 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: $30,130
Younger
median age 28.7
US median: 33.0
More educated
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
99,438
−6%vs 2000
vs 106,205 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
87 / sq mi
−6%vs 2000
vs 93 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
28.7
−3%vs 2000
vs 29.5 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
97K105K113K122K130K1990201020202024Ames
2024127K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.1%(6,031)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96.4%(6,321)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.5%(5,454)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 199.5%(9,400)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2416.9%(16,829)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416%(15,867)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4413.3%(13,251)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 547.8%(7,708)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647%(6,913)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 746%(6,000)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844%(3,985)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.7%(1,679)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$26,527
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $40,521 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$11,976
−40%vs 2000
vs $19,948 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
14.6%
+2.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 12.5% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$57,723
−26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $102,328 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$369
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $542 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
60.0%
−2.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 62.6% in 2000
40.0% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Ames on RentDataNow
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%
1990
White, non-Hispanic94.8%(94,229)
Black1.3%(1,282)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(796)
Asian3.5%(3,482)
Other0.4%(445)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.8%(3,541)
Puerto Rican0.3%(415)
Guatemalan0.3%(330)
Venezuelan0.2%(174)
Cuban0.2%(168)
Salvadoran0.1%(133)
Spaniard0.1%(122)
Argentine0.1%(80)
Colombian0%(53)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
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)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Mongolian0.1%(60)
Thai0%(48)
Taiwanese0%(24)
Cambodian0%(22)
Hmong0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(27)
Samoan0%(22)
Tongan0%(9)
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)
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)
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)
Armenian0%(44)
Slovak0%(42)
Ethiopian0%(39)
Slovene0%(38)
Egyptian0%(33)
Guyanese0%(31)
Jamaican0%(31)
Serbian0%(19)
Barbadian0%(13)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
32.1%
−6.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 38.2% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
88.4%
−4.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 92.4% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
13.8%
−2.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 15.9% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
18.5 min
+51%vs 2000
vs 12.3 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
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
In this metro

Largest cities

AmesCENTRAL68,220Boone12,471Nevada6,974Huxley4,715Story City3,382Madrid2,820Ogden1,975Slater1,617Woodward1,426Gilbert1,389Roland1,344Maxwell844Colo838Cambridge827Zearing504Collins497McCallsburg353Kelley307Sheldahl306Boxholm177Pilot Mound155Luther146Fraser107Beaver49Berkley21
What's inside

2 component counties

Story CountyCENTRAL101,291Boone County26,799
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 Ames
Head to head

Compare Ames side by side

AMES VS
Augusta
Income$69,077+160%
Home value$238,200+313%
Population129,067+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AMES VS
Harrisonburg
Income$73,776+178%
Home value$307,785+433%
Population140,155+9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AMES VS
Glens Falls
Income$76,067+187%
Home value$233,211+304%
Population124,373−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AMES VS
Flagstaff
Income$72,966+175%
Home value$448,000+676%
Population144,368+13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Ames, IA?

Ames, IA has about 99,438 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Ames, IA?

The typical household in Ames, IA earns about $26,527 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 $57,723, and the typical rent is about $369 a month.

How educated are people in Ames, IA?

About 32.1% 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 14.6% of people in Ames, IA live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →