Census place 1901855

Ames

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Ames city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Ames.

According to the 2025 estimate, Ames has a population of 68,220 and 2,419 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 41 covered Iowa places are: population density is 2,419/sq mi, above the comparison median of 1,552/sq mi; median home value is $277,400, above the comparison median of $219,200; and typical commute is 15.6 minutes, below the comparison median of 18.6 minutes. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

population density
2,419/sq mi
Above the comparison median of 1,552/sq mi
median home value
$277,400
Above the comparison median of $219,200
typical commute
15.6 minutes
Below the comparison median of 18.6 minutes

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Ames's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
68,220
2025 estimate
Annual change
-0.2%
Population estimate
Density
2,419/sq mi
28.2 sq mi land area
Median age
23.3 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$60,991
Median home value
$277,400
Median gross rent
$1,023
Bachelor’s degree or higher
65.8%
Typical commute
15.6 min
Drive-alone commute
62.5%
Public transit commute
5.5%
Walked to work
10.2%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
57.9%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
50.2%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
62.3%
Unemployed residents 16+
3.9%
Working from home
12.1%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
74.2%
Homes built 2020+
2.3%
Households without a vehicle
7.2%
Households with children
15.5%
Residents with a disability
9.1%
Residents without insurance
4.4%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Story County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
11
Severe Storm declarations
10
Hurricane declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: AMES MUNI AP (3 mi from place center)
Average high
59°F
Average low
38.1°F
Annual rainfall
35.9"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in Ames.

Typical high and low °F
0°F20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Bristol, CT

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
62,341
Median home
$277,800

Greenwood, IN

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
69,349
Median home
$276,100

Chicopee, MA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
55,310
Median home
$274,500

Keep exploring

Compare Ames with Bristol