Best Places to Live in Ames, Iowa

Ames, Iowa is a lively city located in the heart of central Iowa. This bustling city offers plenty for visitors to explore such as the picturesque Reiman Gardens or the historic Octagon Center for the Arts. Residents here also enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities at Hills Memorial Park or Brookside Park. With its excellent school systems, thriving businesses, and numerous recreational opportunities, it's no wonder why so many people choose to make Ames their home. College town - Central Iowa, 25 miles north of Des Moines.

State: Iowa
County: Story County
Metro Area: Ames Metro Area
City: Ames

Zip Codes: 50010 50014 50012 50011
Cost of Living: -9.7% lower
Time zone: Central Standard Time (CST)
Elevation: 921 ft above sea level

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Ames, Ia Housing Market

Least Expensive Homes	Homes Over 2,000 Sq. Ft.
Most Expensive Homes	Homes less than 10 yrs old
All Single Family Homes

Pros
College-town amenities
Steady employment
Cost of living

Cons
Outdoor recreation
Low diversity
Harsh winters

What Bert Has To Say About Ames Metro Area

Home to land-grant Iowa State University, Ames is a pleasant college town a short distance north of Des Moines along I-35. Downtown is typical of most small college towns, clean, attractive and containing a variety of independent small businesses. The economic base is steady, anchored by the university and other state agencies and an assortment of mostly agricultural, pharmaceutical and biotech-related manufacturing and research facilities for companies like 3M, BASF, Ball Plastics and Boehringer Ingleheim.

Highlights

ECONOMY

The unemployment rate in Ames is 2.7% (U.S. avg. is 6.0%). Recent job growth is Positive. Ames jobs have increased by 2.3%. More Economy

COST OF LIVING

Compared to the rest of the country, Ames's cost of living is 9.7% lower than the U.S. average. More Cost of Living or Compare Ames's Cost of Living

WEATHER & CLIMATE

June, September and August are the most pleasant months in Ames, while January and December are the least comfortable months. Today's Weather | Climate Averages

VOTING

In the last Presidential election, Story county remained very strongly Democratic, 57.2% to 39.9%. More Voting Stats

POPULATION

Ames's population is 67,033 people. Since 2020, it has had a population growth of 13.4%. Learn More...

TRANSPORTATION

Average Commute time is 16.4 minutes. The National Average is 26.4 minutes. Learn More...

REAL ESTATE

The median home cost in Ames is Real Estate: $258,100. Home appreciation the last 10 years has been 3.0%.

SCHOOLS

Ames public schools spend $11,680 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $12,383. There are about 14.6 students per teacher in Ames. More Education

Best Places to Live in Ames Rankings

#12	Emerging Metropolitan Areas
#39	Best Green Cities

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Housing Market in Ames

It's a good time to buy in Ames. Home Appreciation is up 6.9% in the last 12 months.
The median home price in Ames is $258,100.

Schools: See Local Schools

Real Estate: See Homes

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Reviews for Ames 12 Reviews

From California to Iowa - 9/30/2012
Hello, I am in San Jose Ca, but am seriously thinking of moving somewhere much slower for a better quality of living. I've just turned 59, so I'm kinda preparing for... Read More

Deborah | San Jose, CA | Reply | 1 Reply

Start Your Review of Ames

Good and Bad - 2/5/2012
Like every other city Ames has both good and bad points. The good points are: low cost of living, very friendly people, lots of outdoor activities and quite a few events... Read More

Suzanne | Ames, IA | Reply | No Replies

Cost of Living in Ames, Iowa - 12/18/2010
Ames enjoys a high quality of life at a very affordable cost, substantially lower than many other communities. The presence of Iowa State University, a large (28,000... Read More

Mack | Ames, IA | Reply | No Replies

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ZIP CODES IN AMES, IOWA

50010 50014 50012 50011

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United States / Iowa / Ames Metro Area / Story County / Ames / Zip Codes