| | Ames, IA | Des Moines, IA | United States |
| Population | 65,522 | 213,545 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 46.6% | 50.9% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 53.4% | 49.1% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 23.4 | 34.2 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 59,103 | 205,042 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 50,731 | 198,682 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 47,198 | 193,187 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | 32.1% | 6.9% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | 42.0% | 9.9% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 2,387.1 | 2,421.7 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 27.4 | 88.2 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.2 | 2.5 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Ames, IA | Des Moines, IA | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 3.6% | 7.0% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 3.1% | 6.4% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 2.8% | 6.6% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 2.2% | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 21.0% | 4.6% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 21.7% | 6.0% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 13.4% | 16.7% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 8.3% | 12.8% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 6.2% | 11.9% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 3.8% | 6.5% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 3.4% | 5.4% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 6.0% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 2.9% | 3.0% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Ames, IA | Des Moines, IA | United States |
| White | 78.5% | 63.5% | 59.4% |
| Black | 3.1% | 10.9% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 10.5% | 7.1% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 3.8% | 14.6% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Ames, IA | Des Moines, IA | United States |
| Married Population | 30.3% | 41.9% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 29.7% | 39.8% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 0.6% | 2.1% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 69.7% | 58.1% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 62.7% | 39.5% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 4.7% | 13.0% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 2.3% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 2.21 | 2.40 | 2.60 |
| Households | 24,633 | 86,992 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 10,003 | 48,161 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 31.2% | 28.9% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 52.4% | 35.4% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 14,630 | 38,831 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 9.4% | 24.5% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 7.0% | 11.2% | 10.8% |