Population 71,263 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Ames: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Ames
Household size in Ames
| Period | Ames | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.21 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.18 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Ames is a place of small households, averaging 2.31 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has edged down from 2.36 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Ames
| Period | Ames | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.3 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.2 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 30.0 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 31.3 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 31.3, Ames is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 29.3 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people, only two are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Ames
| Period | Ames | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.5% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.3% of households in Ames, well below the national share of 11.6%. Of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people, only four have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Ames
Renters in Ames
| Period | Ames | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.1% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 56.6% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 57.0% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 55.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Ames rent: 55.5% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 45.2% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. No other Iowa city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Ames
| Period | Ames | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Ames as nationally: 10.4%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Iowa as a whole (8.8%). Vacancy has risen 4.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Ames
| Period | Ames | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Ames are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the northeast has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Ames
| Period | Ames | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $774 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $802 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $949 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,022 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$248 | +$351 | +$606 |
Rent in Ames runs $1,022 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $248 a month from 2006–10, a 32% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.3% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Ames
Bachelor's degrees in Ames
| Period | Ames | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 56.2% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 59.1% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.3% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 66.0% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Ames: 66.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 9.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other Iowa city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Ames
| Period | Ames | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.3% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.1% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Ames: 96.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged up 0.5 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Ames has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Iowa cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Ames
| Period | Ames | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ames is close to the national rate: 5.1% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Iowa as a whole (3.7%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Ames compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | 2.31 | 31.3 | 4.3% | 55.5% | 10.4% | 1987 | $1,022 | 66.0% | 96.9% | 5.1% |
| Napier | 1.99 | 47.4 | 2.2% | 10.0% | 4.0% | 1978 | $1,025 | 48.7% | 97.2% | 0.0% |
| Gilbert | 2.49 | 46.5 | 2.6% | 10.3% | 5.9% | 1981 | $902 | 45.0% | 98.0% | 3.2% |
| Kelley | 2.45 | 37.6 | 9.0% | 29.7% | 5.1% | 1979 | $1,023 | 55.2% | 98.7% | 1.6% |
| Jordan | 2.41 | 43.9 | 2.9% | 19.6% | 3.2% | 1974 | $962 | 41.8% | 96.1% | 0.4% |
| Shipley | 1.95 | 45.6 | 3.0% | 13.9% | 4.3% | 1980 | $1,007 | 41.3% | 96.9% | 0.5% |
| Ericson | 2.82 | 43.8 | 6.4% | 5.5% | 5.1% | 1978 | $1,163 | 50.9% | 98.8% | 0.2% |
| Huxley | 2.98 | 34.4 | 6.6% | 19.5% | 4.4% | 1995 | $1,354 | 55.1% | 99.0% | 1.3% |
| Nevada | 2.33 | 40.9 | 9.8% | 25.8% | 8.4% | 1971 | $980 | 30.9% | 95.4% | 2.0% |
| Slater | 2.54 | 39.7 | 3.2% | 15.1% | 6.4% | 1971 | $919 | 39.4% | 99.1% | 3.4% |
| Mackey | 2.34 | 41.1 | 2.8% | 23.5% | 1.5% | 1975 | $873 | 45.6% | 97.4% | 0.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Huntersville, NC · Dundalk, MD · Sanford, NC · Camden, NJ · Statesville, NC · Leesburg, VA · Petaluma, CA · Eastvale, CA · Lake Elsinore, CA · Weston, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Ames. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.