Moving to Ames
What you need to know before relocating to Ames, Iowa. Data-driven insights on housing, jobs, safety, and quality of life.
Is Ames a Good Place to Live?
Based on data across cost of living, job market, safety, and education, Ames compares favorably on multiple dimensions. Highlights include rent ($981/mo) is below the national average; home prices ($246,200) are well below the us median; low unemployment rate (2.3%) signals a strong job market.
Ames at a Glance
Cost of Living in Ames
The median rent in Ames is $981/month, while the median home value is $246,200. With a median household income of $72,007, residents spend roughly 16% of monthly income on rent.
Overall, the Ames metro area is classified as affordable compared to other US metros.
Job Market
Ames has a median household income of $72,007, which is 3% below the national median. The local unemployment rate is 2.3%, compared to the national average of 3.7%.
Safety in Ames
The violent crime rate in Ames is 280 per 100,000 residents, which is 26% below the national average of 380.
Property crime rate: 1441 per 100,000 residents.
Education in Iowa
Iowa has a high school graduation rate of 92% and per-pupil spending of $16,021/year. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1.
35% of Iowa adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Healthcare Access
Iowa has 224 physicians per 100,000 residents, a 5.3% uninsured rate, and 3.2 hospital beds per 1,000 people. Life expectancy in Iowa is 78.0 years.
Pros and Cons of Living in Ames
+Pros
- ✓Rent ($981/mo) is below the national average
- ✓Home prices ($246,200) are well below the US median
- ✓Low unemployment rate (2.3%) signals a strong job market
- ✓Violent crime rate (280/100k) is well below the national average
- ✓High school graduation rate of 92%
- ✓Low uninsured rate (5.3%) and good healthcare access
-Cons
- ✗Longer-than-average commute (59335 min)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ames a good place to live?⌄
Ames, Iowa has several attributes that make it an attractive place to live, including rent ($981/mo) is below the national average and home prices ($246,200) are well below the us median. It scores well on multiple quality-of-life metrics relative to the national average.
What is the cost of living in Ames?⌄
The median rent in Ames is $981/month and the median home value is $246,200. The median household income is $72,007. Overall the metro is considered affordable.
Is Ames safe?⌄
Ames has a violent crime rate of 280 incidents per 100,000 residents. The national average is approximately 380 per 100,000.
What is the job market like in Ames?⌄
Ames has an unemployment rate of 2.3%, compared to the national average of 3.7%. The median household income is $72,007.