Ames

Population: 66,112
Median household income: $60,102
Median home value: $263,800

Ames, a community in Story County, Iowa, has 66,112 residents. At $60,102, its median household income sits below Story County's $69,006.

From 2019 to 2023, Ames's population held roughly steady from 66,023 to 66,112, while its median home value rose 28.1% from $205,900 to $263,800.

65.3% of workers drive to work alone. 39.8% of homes are single-family detached houses.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 66,112
Median age: 23.3 yrs
Median household income: $60,102
Median home value: $263,800
Median gross rent: $1,040
Housing units: 27,706
Homeownership rate: 42.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 63.5%
Unemployment rate: 6.4%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

66,02366,112

Median household income

$48,105$60,102

Median home value

$205,900$263,800

Median gross rent

$930$1,040

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	66,023	$48,105	$205,900	$930
2020	66,361	$50,783	$213,500	$944
2021	65,522	$54,339	$222,900	$972
2022	66,265	$57,428	$247,500	$1,011
2023	66,112	$60,102	$263,800	$1,040

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 53.2%

5 to 178.3%

18 to 2442.9%

25 to 3413.4%

35 to 448.5%

45 to 546.2%

55 to 646.9%

65 to 746.2%

75 and over4.6%

	Count	Share
Under 5	2,106	3.2%
5 to 17	5,497	8.3%
18 to 24	28,348	42.9%
25 to 34	8,838	13.4%
35 to 44	5,620	8.5%
45 to 54	4,075	6.2%
55 to 64	4,538	6.9%
65 to 74	4,071	6.2%
75 and over	3,019	4.6%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	51,321	77.6%
Black or African American	2,400	3.6%
American Indian & Alaska Native	88	0.1%
Asian	6,213	9.4%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	64	0.1%
Some other race	100	0.2%
Two or more races	2,712	4.1%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3,214	4.9%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma2.5%

High school graduate11.5%

Some college or associate's22.5%

Bachelor's degree32.6%

Graduate or professional degree30.9%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	744	2.5%
High school graduate	3,472	11.5%
Some college or associate's	6,788	22.5%
Bachelor's degree	9,833	32.6%
Graduate or professional degree	9,324	30.9%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 16 min

Drove alone65.3%

Carpooled7.7%

Public transit5.8%

Walked7.9%

Bicycle1.6%

Worked from home11.3%

Other means0.4%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	22,542	65.3%
Carpooled	2,647	7.7%
Public transit	2,005	5.8%
Walked	2,737	7.9%
Bicycle	556	1.6%
Worked from home	3,910	11.3%
Other means	132	0.4%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	17,090	55.8%
15 to 29 min	9,090	29.7%
30 to 44 min	2,896	9.5%
45 to 59 min	925	3.0%
60+ min	618	2.0%

Households

Average household size: 2.13
Poverty rate: 25.9% (14,035 of 54,160)

	Count	Share
Family households	9,980	39.2%
Nonfamily households	15,465	60.8%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1991

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	25,445	91.8%
Vacant	2,261	8.2%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	10,915	42.9%
Renter-occupied	14,530	57.1%

1-unit, detached39.8%

1-unit, attached6.9%

2 to 4 units8.0%

5 to 19 units22.2%

20 or more units20.4%

Mobile home & other2.7%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	11,016	39.8%
1-unit, attached	1,909	6.9%
2 to 4 units	2,216	8.0%
5 to 19 units	6,154	22.2%
20 or more units	5,659	20.4%
Mobile home & other	752	2.7%

Geography

Place GEOID: 1901855
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 28 sq mi
Water area: 0.35 sq mi
Center point: 42.0263, -93.6213