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Ames, IA is a vibrant city known for its small-town charm and friendly atmosphere. It offers plenty of activities to keep the locals and visitors entertained, from outdoor activities like biking trails or fishing spots to cultural attractions like The Octagon Center for the Arts and the Main Street Cultural District. Residents also appreciate their local restaurants, entertainment venues, and unique shops. With a historic downtown area full of architectural gems, Ames, IA is also known as a great place to live with affordable housing options that draw in newcomers every year.
Residents rave about their hometown’s remarkable quality of life. People feel safe living in Ames and appreciate its sense of community. There's an abundance of parks where residents can enjoy nature or partake in recreational activities like playing sports or picnicking. The city has also taken steps to promote sustainability by creating environmentally-friendly initiatives like using eco-friendly materials for construction projects or investing in renewable energy sources. Overall, people in Ames really appreciate the city’s commitment to protecting its natural resources while still providing ample opportunities for recreation and fun activities for everyone to enjoy.
based on 12 ReviewsGet to know Ames with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Ames
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 my retirement years. My question is, how harsh are the winters? I'm fron this area, so I'm kinda whimpy :-). I've taken a train through Iowa twice and I loved it. Green and white...lol...all very clean tidy. If there's someone in Ames that has lived in Silicon Valley and can give an objective view, I'd appreciate it.
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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 sponsored by the university, its got a great coop and farmers' market in the summer, it seems like a great place to raise a family, the campus is beautiful. The bad points: it can be a bit dull if you're single and not college age, contrary to what has been said previously ISU in not considered a "good" school maybe if you're outside of the school, but academics know better, and if you travel a lot DSM is not a hub for any airline, so you can't fly directly anywhere, there are only a couple of truly good restaurants, there's not a lot of political/religious diversity as Iowa is mostly white
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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 students) institution of higher education with excellent teaching and high levels of research productivity, provides the basis for great diversity in inexpensive housing, food choices, and recreational opportunities.
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Ames - 7/15/2010
Ames is an okay place to live, if you're a college student or retired. Beyond that, living here is very
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Iowa Michelel Ames - 4/13/2009
Of course I did not put the right town in. What outsider needs any more bull____? yes, I think Iowa needs to change the signs they have when you enter their state to "Iowa does not welcome you" It is so corrupt in N.E. Iowa, it is one game after another of fines (locals don't get fined) higher property taxes, ect. I have protested the taxes 2 times now. Nothing but games. It is truley pathetic. Right on about smiling to your face and stabbing you in the back. The locals spend the money from the state to keep themselves employed. Just a select few. Mind you it would be fine if the monies were spent for something good. A perfect example is an Industrial park built 10 years ago with no industry to this day! Now, these small towns are looking to Iowas program of main street revival. What a joke. These are the same people who were not friendly to tourists when they were coming a few years back and now that the economy is bad, gee I guess they need them now. Gee, is there more moneys
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Cornerstone Church is a vibrant church! - 6/13/2008
When I moved to small Ames, Iowa in 2004, I wondered if I could find an alive, growing christian church. I moved from London, England, a huge metropolitan capital city. I was pleasantly surprised to find Cornerstone Church of Ames. It is a great community church that I think really reaches out to meet the needs of the local people. The teaching is great, the community good, and the ministry opportunities are endless. Cornerstone Church truly is a local church with a global
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Best college town! - 2/25/2008
I loved my experience in Ames, IA during my 4 years of college. I miss living there, and while my experience might be different from that of regular residents, I think that Ames is a great college town overall. The winters are harsh, but the other seasons are nice. I really enjoyed the diverse environment, and I met people from several countries. The people are nice, and the transportation system (Cyride) takes you all over Ames. Stephens Auditorium is very nice, as well as Hilton Coliseum, and Jack Trice Stadium. I wouldn't mind living there, though there are not many opportunities of my field there. However, who knows. Maybe I might be back in the
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Not a very culturally diverse college town - 9/19/2007
As far as college towns go, Ames is far less diverse than most. Largely due to it being Iowa, a state known for being overwhelmingly white. There are a handful of foreign food eateries in town (not counting Chinese restaurants)... but not many when compared to universities the size and quality of Iowa
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Diversity in Ames - 2/8/2006
One thing I really liked about growing up in Ames is the cultural diversity that can be found because of the university. You can meet people from all over the world who are studying at Iowa State University. Half the population of Ames are students, so it is a pretty young population. You can find a number of ethnic restaurants run by people from other countries. Many of the Iowa State students have studied abroad, so many of them are quite knowledgeable about other
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Alum of Iowa State - 1/29/2006
I graduated from Iowa State in 2003 and I have to say, I miss Ames terribly. I'm afraid I don't know much about the education system (except for Iowa State, which is consistenly one of the best public universites in the country), but I do know that Ames does have a lot to do, and is only 30 miles away from Des Moines, which has just about everything else Ames doesn't. However, as I get a bit older and look upon starting a family with my husband, I'm not sure if Ames is the best place to raise a family. One problem is drunken driving. I wouldn't even go out driving on a Friday or Saturday night because I knew drunk drivers would be out in force. There is also a lot of things to do...for college students. The last time I was there last year (I was 24), I felt bored (I don't know, going out with friends and getting drunk off my rocker doesn't seem too fun anymore). Anyway, what I'm trying to say that Ames is a great little college town, with a great college in it, but I'm just not
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