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METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Ames Metro

Ames, IA · 2 counties · 106,205 residents · 1,143 sq mi
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The short version

Ames is home to 106,205 people. The median age is 29.5, younger than the US median of 35.2. 38% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 24% nationally. Getting to work takes 12 minutes on average. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $102,328. Headcount has barely moved since 1990.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 29.5
US median: 35.2
More educated
38% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 35%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
106,205
+7%since 1990
from 99,438 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
93 / sq mi
+7%since 1990
from 87 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
29.5
+3%since 1990
from 28.7 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
1,143 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
97K105K113K122K130K19902000201020202024Ames
2024127K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.4%(5,716)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.5%(5,850)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.9%(6,248)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1910.4%(11,026)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2416.7%(17,780)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.9%(13,748)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4412.9%(13,711)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5411.7%(12,470)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 647.1%(7,491)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 745.5%(5,802)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.1%(4,353)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.9%(2,010)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$40,521
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $26,527 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$19,948
+67%since 1990
from $11,976 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
12.5%
−2.1 ptssince 1990
from 14.6% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$102,328
+35%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $57,723 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$542
+12%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $369 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
62.6%
+2.6 ptssince 1990
from 60.0% in 1990
37.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic94.8%(94,229)
Black1.3%(1,282)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(796)
Asian3.5%(3,482)
2000
White, non-Hispanic92.2%(97,950)
Black1.4%(1,520)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(1,456)
Asian3.9%(4,133)

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)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
38.2%
+6.0 ptssince 1990
from 32.1% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
92.4%
+4.0 ptssince 1990
from 88.4% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
15.9%
+2.1 ptssince 1990
from 13.8% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
12.3 min
−34%since 1990
from 18.5 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married43%(19,167)
Married49.5%(22,073)
Widowed1.5%(673)
Divorced6%(2,689)
Women 15+
Never married33%(14,449)
Married50.7%(22,228)
Widowed8.7%(3,830)
Divorced7.6%(3,319)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.0%
−2.3 ptssince 2013
from 6.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
70.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 69.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 16.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
14.9%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 13.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
11.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 10.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)16.5%(753)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.4%(1,569)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.3%(194)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.3%(104)
US avg: 1%

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

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+70%
Home value$238,200+133%
Population129,067+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AMES VS
Harrisonburg
Income$73,776+82%
Home value$307,785+201%
Population140,155+9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AMES VS
Glens Falls
Income$76,067+88%
Home value$233,211+128%
Population124,373−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AMES VS
Flagstaff
Income$72,966+80%
Home value$448,000+338%
Population144,368+13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Ames, IA?

Ames, IA has about 106,205 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Ames, IA?

The typical household in Ames, IA earns about $40,521 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 $102,328, and the typical rent is about $542 a month.

How educated are people in Ames, IA?

About 38.2% 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 12.5% 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 6,767 residents, a change of about 7 percent over that period.

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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 →

Ames, IA (2000): population, income & housing data · CensusEasy