United States › Ames METRO AREA · 2010 ACS
Ames Metro Ames, IA · 2 counties · 115,848 residents · 1,143 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 115,848 people, Ames is a metro area. The median age is 29.9, younger than the US median of 37.2. 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 28% nationally. Median home value sits at $146,872. Getting to work takes 18 minutes on average. The foreign-born share is 6%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 29.9
US median: 37.2
More educated
41% 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 29.5 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
97K 105K 113K 122K 130K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Ames Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $48,550
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,521 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $19,948 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 12.5% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Public administration 4.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Education & health services 0.6%
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$146,872
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $102,328 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$673
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $542 in 2000
US average: $853
from 62.6% in 2000
40.4% rent
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.39 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 19.2% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 48.9% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 3.1 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 92.2%(97,950)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(1,456)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 88.9%(103,006)
Hispanic / Latino 2.8%(3,200)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 42 more ancestry groups with data from 38.2% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 92.4% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 15.9% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.3 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 74.1% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 18.4% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 39.2% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 51.7%(29,505)
Women 15+
Never married 41.2%(21,515)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 6.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 13.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 10.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 83.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
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)
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.
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In this metro
Largest cities AmesCENTRAL 68,220 Boone 12,471 Nevada 6,974 Huxley 4,715 Story City 3,382 Madrid 2,820 Ogden 1,975 Slater 1,617 Woodward 1,426 Gilbert 1,389 Roland 1,344 Maxwell 844 Colo 838 Cambridge 827 Zearing 504 Collins 497 McCallsburg 353 Kelley 307 Sheldahl 306 Boxholm 177 Pilot Mound 155 Luther 146 Fraser 107 Beaver 49 Berkley 21 What's inside
2 component counties Drill deeper
Metros similar to Ames Head to head
Compare Ames side by side AMES VS
Augusta
Income $69,077 +42%
Home value $238,200 +62%
Population 129,067 +1%
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AMES VS
Harrisonburg
Income $73,776 +52%
Home value $307,785 +110%
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AMES VS
Glens Falls
Income $76,067 +57%
Home value $233,211 +59%
Population 124,373 −3%
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AMES VS
Flagstaff
Income $72,966 +50%
Home value $448,000 +205%
Population 144,368 +13%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Ames, IA? Ames, IA has about 115,848 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ames, IA? The typical household in Ames, IA earns about $48,550 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 $146,872, and the typical rent is about $673 a month.
How educated are people in Ames, IA? About 41.0% 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 16.8% 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 16,410 residents, a change of about 17 percent over that period.
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