Economy, jobs and prices in Ames, Iowa: official figures
The median household income in Ames was $60,991 a year in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (in 2024 dollars), 157th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US median was $80,734 and the Iowa median $75,059.
What is the per capita income in Ames?
Income per resident (per capita income) in Ames averaged $34,343 a year in 2020-2024, 229th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $44,673; Iowa: $40,877).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Ames?
Ames' Gini index of household income inequality was 0.482 in 2020-2024 (0 means equal incomes, 1 maximum inequality), 175th most unequal of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US figure was 0.483.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Ames, Iowa?
5.8% of the civilian labor force in Ames was unemployed on average over 2020-2024 (2,364 people), 295th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US rate in the same survey was 5.2% and Iowa's 3.6%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Ames have jobs?
38,134 residents of Ames held civilian jobs, 62.3% of those aged 16 and over (US: 59.7%), and 46 served in the armed forces.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat are the main industries in Ames?
The largest industry group for working residents of Ames was education, health care and social assistance (39.4% of employed residents), followed by arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services (12.6%) and retail trade (12.3%), 2020-2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Ames work in manufacturing?
Manufacturing employed 7.5% of working residents of Ames, 307th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 9.9%); professional, scientific and management services employed 7.7% (US: 12.6%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow long is the commute in Ames, Iowa?
Commuters in Ames took 15.6 minutes on average to get to work in 2020-2024, 12th shortest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 26.4 minutes); 2.1% travelled an hour or more and 57.3% less than 15 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow do people in Ames get to work?
12.1% of workers living in Ames worked from home in 2020-2024, 322nd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 15.1%). 62.5% drove to work alone, 7.3% carpooled, 5.5% used public transport and 10.2% walked.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the average rent in Ames, Iowa?
The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) in Ames was $1,023 a month in 2020-2024, 79th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $1,413; Iowa: $972).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow much does a house cost in Ames?
Owner-occupied homes in Ames had a median value of $277,400 in 2020-2024 as estimated by their owners, 237th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $332,700; Iowa: $208,000).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow affordable are homes in Ames?
The median home value in Ames was 4.5 times the median household income, 397th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 4.1 times).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Ames have no internet?
2.9% of households in Ames (741) had no internet access at home in 2020-2024, 185th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.5%); 7.2% relied on a cellular data plan alone (US: 11.5%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow Ames compares with other cities in the United States
Median household income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 667 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median household income (2024 dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| 664 | St. Cloud | $61,374 |
| 665 | Twin Falls | $61,205 |
| 666 | Taylor | $61,081 |
| 667 | Ames | $60,991 |
| 668 | Killeen | $60,977 |
| 669 | Lubbock | $60,895 |
| 670 | East Orange | $60,830 |
Per capita income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 595 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Per capita income (2024 dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| 592 | Fort Smith | $34,413 |
| 593 | Yuba City | $34,401 |
| 594 | Greeley | $34,374 |
| 595 | Ames | $34,343 |
| 596 | Temple | $34,319 |
| 597 | Texas City | $34,313 |
| 598 | Hempstead | $34,304 |
Gini index of household income inequality (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 175 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 172 | Chico | 0.483 |
| 173 | Oak Park | 0.483 |
| 174 | Harrisburg | 0.483 |
| 175 | Ames | 0.482 |
| 176 | San Mateo | 0.482 |
| 177 | Monterey Park | 0.482 |
| 178 | Fort Pierce | 0.482 |
Unemployment rate (share of civilian labor force) (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 295 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate (share of civilian labor force) |
|---|---|---|
| 292 | Portland | 5.8% |
| 293 | Vacaville | 5.8% |
| 294 | Anaheim | 5.8% |
| 295 | Ames | 5.8% |
| 296 | Birmingham | 5.8% |
| 297 | Everett | 5.8% |
| 298 | Salem | 5.8% |
Labor force participation rate (16 and over) (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 374 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Labor force participation rate (16 and over) |
|---|---|---|
| 371 | Chula Vista | 66.2% |
| 372 | Weston | 66.2% |
| 373 | Coconut Creek | 66.2% |
| 374 | Ames | 66.2% |
| 375 | Chico | 66.2% |
| 376 | Bellingham | 66.2% |
| 377 | Ontario | 66.2% |
Mean travel time to work (minutes) (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 812 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Mean travel time to work (minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| 809 | Grand Junction | 15.8 |
| 810 | Twin Falls | 15.7 |
| 811 | Bismarck | 15.6 |
| 812 | Ames | 15.6 |
| 813 | Abilene | 15.6 |
| 814 | Bozeman | 15.5 |
| 815 | Fargo | 15.5 |
Workers who worked from home (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 502 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Workers who worked from home |
|---|---|---|
| 499 | Kingsport | 12.1% |
| 500 | McAllen | 12.1% |
| 501 | Las Vegas | 12.1% |
| 502 | Ames | 12.1% |
| 503 | Caldwell | 12.1% |
| 504 | Columbus | 12.1% |
| 505 | Greenwood | 12.0% |
Workers commuting by public transportation (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 84 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Workers commuting by public transportation |
|---|---|---|
| 81 | San Rafael | 5.6% |
| 82 | Burien | 5.6% |
| 83 | South San Francisco | 5.5% |
| 84 | Ames | 5.5% |
| 85 | Inglewood | 5.5% |
| 86 | St. Paul | 5.4% |
| 87 | Redmond | 5.4% |
Employed residents working in manufacturing (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 517 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Employed residents working in manufacturing |
|---|---|---|
| 514 | New Braunfels | 7.5% |
| 515 | Austin | 7.5% |
| 516 | North Port | 7.5% |
| 517 | Ames | 7.5% |
| 518 | Redwood City | 7.5% |
| 519 | Malden | 7.4% |
| 520 | Chula Vista | 7.4% |
Employed residents in education, health care and social assistance (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 13 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Employed residents in education, health care and social assistance |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Bloomington | 40.2% |
| 11 | Gainesville | 39.9% |
| 12 | Chapel Hill | 39.7% |
| 13 | Ames | 39.4% |
| 14 | Mount Vernon | 38.6% |
| 15 | Columbia | 37.6% |
| 16 | Manhattan | 37.0% |
Median gross rent per month (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 745 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median gross rent per month |
|---|---|---|
| 742 | Appleton | $1,030 |
| 743 | Council Bluffs | $1,030 |
| 744 | Johnson City | $1,023 |
| 745 | Ames | $1,023 |
| 746 | Wichita Falls | $1,022 |
| 747 | Port Arthur | $1,021 |
| 748 | Gary | $1,012 |
Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 587 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median value of owner-occupied homes |
|---|---|---|
| 584 | Houston | $277,800 |
| 585 | Bristol | $277,800 |
| 586 | Gastonia | $277,600 |
| 587 | Ames | $277,400 |
| 588 | Kannapolis | $276,400 |
| 589 | Greenwood | $276,100 |
| 590 | Bridgeport | $274,900 |
Median home value as a multiple of median household income (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 424 of 820, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median home value as a multiple of median household income |
|---|---|---|
| 421 | Richland | 4.6x |
| 422 | Tulare | 4.6x |
| 423 | West Jordan | 4.6x |
| 424 | Ames | 4.5x |
| 425 | Dallas | 4.5x |
| 426 | West Valley City | 4.5x |
| 427 | Palm Coast | 4.5x |
Occupied homes lived in by their owners (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 745 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Occupied homes lived in by their owners |
|---|---|---|
| 742 | Flagstaff | 42.3% |
| 743 | Kalamazoo | 42.3% |
| 744 | Alexandria | 42.1% |
| 745 | Ames | 42.1% |
| 746 | Houston | 42.1% |
| 747 | Fayetteville | 41.8% |
| 748 | Milwaukee | 41.8% |
Households with a broadband subscription (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 823 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Households with a broadband subscription |
|---|---|---|
| 817 | Trenton | 82.0% |
| 818 | Youngstown | 81.8% |
| 819 | Valdosta | 80.8% |
| 820 | Rocky Mount | 80.7% |
| 821 | Albany | 80.5% |
| 822 | Canton | 80.3% |
| 823 | Ames | 74.2% |
Households with no internet access (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 639 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Households with no internet access |
|---|---|---|
| 636 | St. Cloud | 2.9% |
| 637 | Port St. Lucie | 2.9% |
| 638 | St. Louis Park | 2.9% |
| 639 | Ames | 2.9% |
| 640 | Lincoln | 2.9% |
| 641 | Olympia | 2.9% |
| 642 | San Clemente | 2.9% |
More on Ames: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B08013: Aggregate Travel Time to Work (in Minutes) of Workers by Sex (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 6939fdfa046fd5bb829ec8da9549e66298cc740f6a3f5dd60e1920a08e3083fb), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5f94e7878b6a…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B23025: Employment Status for the Population 16 Years and Over (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 264a5bd9367c5f58d9773fa4966fa94fe1e02f9c7106bc2ab39168d6de7c3e4a), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2630e6946370…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini Index of Income Inequality (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 338f7a1191eaaf3913913e78c36aaa9d82f2b5c8faaf889be2e597b28869205e), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b8cf854b1f94…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C24030: Sex by Industry for the Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 66a2799a71a5fc36f0e3bc22767fe5bdd8f96eb29e85b91311e990d35cc14114), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5d717c57e7e4…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B19013: Median Household Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2024 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 b25a176b0e6c339b6f3a2a0d3d8446bf06f5f080b4395993ec9a8313efb1c229), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1d8a264807c6…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B08301: Means of Transportation to Work (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 552b24c135b6e7c566910914a861cda6fc798ba0cd47801b1eb64295a128c2ee), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 eaf823006d53…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B19301: Per Capita Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2024 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 9fc107e98fee7fa49bb8314560205569184fad65fb64b80adb5c5bdd83ccc409), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 24c1e725b26a…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25064: Median Gross Rent (Dollars) (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 b36e6dc1fcef36b8b307d31b37517b64c80d8b9c70d48c9b1894242860f42eb0), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b842a7ff825c…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25077: Median Value (Dollars) (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 89eb2153764a2330b23959d8bbc29b3a8f3016f087b990f2a8ea0d5096d9a816), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 22b59a3b1acb…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B28002: Presence and Types of Internet Subscriptions in Household (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 12446ff0691b8818f5908cdc398817361772c5b3078c506d0409adc9c841840b), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4b375b368bf9…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25003: Tenure (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 68e963e1ed60fcf6b0658579cefc6498b7a9eb780b9f3e87fd1b9775c4d4ac6c), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2983c28f47fa…)
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