2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Ames, IA vs Wheaton, IL

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Wheaton or is it cheaper to live in Ames?
- Wheaton is 23.4% more expensive than Ames.

Which city has more affordable housing, Wheaton or Ames?
- Wheaton housing costs are 46.0% more expensive than Ames housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Ames or is Health Care more affordable in Wheaton.
- Health related expenses are 21.9% less in Wheaton.
 Ames, IAWheaton, ILUnited States
 Overall  Unlock108.1100
 Food & Groceries97.3  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock94.4100
 Housing88.5  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$381,100$338,100
 Utilities99  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock117.3100
 Miscellaneous114.1  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Ames    12 Reviews

Over 13 years ago

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  More

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Over 13 years ago

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  More

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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  More

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Reviews for Wheaton    12 Reviews

Over 12 years ago

Wheaton is a pretty safe place to live. There are few major crimes that occur each year. It scored an 80 out of 1000 on City Data information.  More

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We moved here from the fast pace of a big city in another state and immediately loved the small town feel to Wheaton. It is a very nice place to live, and there is a lot  More

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Over 16 years ago

Housing is expensive but real estate taxes are even higher. I can no longer afford to live  More

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