City · Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Ames, city, in Story County, Iowa. Ames had 68,220 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 66,427 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 67,669 (±39). GEOID 1901855.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
68,220
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 66,427 · ACS 2020-2024: 67,669 ±39
Median household income
$60,991
±$1,892 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$277,400
±$9,482 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$1,023
±$38 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Ames and what county is it in?
Ames is a city in Story County, Iowa. It covers 28.2 square miles of land, 2,355 residents per square mile in 2020.
Ames is in the Ames, IA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Ames, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 68,220 people lived in Ames on July 1, 2025, up 2.7% since 2020, faster than Iowa (+1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 66,427 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 67,669 (±39).
| Measure | Ames | Story County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 67,669 ±39 | 100,466 | +1,646 |
| Households | 25,785 ±538 | 38,904 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.14 ±0.04 | 2.26 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 28,041 ±369 | 41,887 | +1,023 |
Ames's population since 2000
From 50,731 in 2000 to 68,220 in 2025: up 34.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ames as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Ames?
The median resident of Ames is 23.3 years old; 11.2% are under 18 and 11.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 76.8%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 9.3%. 11.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Ames | Story County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.3 ±0.3 | 26.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 11.2% ±0.5 pts | 16.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 11.1% ±0.5 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Male | 53.0% ±0.5 pts | 52.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.1% ±0.4 pts | 5.2% | +1.2 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 76.8% ±0.9 pts | 81.0% | −1.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.8% ±0.4 pts | 2.7% | +0.7 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 9.3% ±0.8 pts | 6.6% | −2.1 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.4% ±0.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 11.6% ±1.0 pts | 8.6% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 14.0% ±1.3 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.0% ±0.5 pts | 4.0% | – |
| With a disability | 9.1% ±1.1 pts | 9.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.4% ±0.8 pts | 4.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.9% ±0.7 pts | 97.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 65.8% ±2.3 pts | 54.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 31.8% ±2.0 pts | 23.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 63.0% ±1.7 pts | 71.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 7.4% ±0.9 pts | 5.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Ames earn?
Half of Ames's 25,785 households earn less than $60,991 a year (±$1,892), against $69,685 in Story County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $59,203 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 25.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ames | Story County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,991 ±$1,892 | $69,685 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $86,019 ±$3,390 | $96,851 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,343 ±$1,343 | $38,610 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 25.5% ±1.9 pts | 18.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.3% ±3.6 pts | 9.7% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.3% ±0.9 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.0% ±0.7 pts | 97.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 74.2% ±2.2 pts | 80.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Ames?
Owners occupy 42.1% of Ames's occupied homes and renters 57.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $277,400 by its owner (±$9,482). The median renter pays $1,023 a month including utilities, and 42.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Ames | Story County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $277,400 ±$9,482 | $258,700 | +$24,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,023 ±$38 | $1,018 | −$122 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.0% ±3.7 pts | 40.1% | −9.6 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,747 ±$78 | $1,710 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 42.1% ±1.8 pts | 55.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 57.9% ±1.8 pts | 44.5% | – |
| Housing units | 28,041 ±369 | 41,887 | +1,023 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.3% ±1.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.7% ±2.3 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 38.2% ±1.8 pts | 51.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.0% ±0.7 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.3% ±0.7 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 17.5% ±1.9 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.3% ±1.3 pts | 14.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.2% ±1.2 pts | 5.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Ames building?
Builders took permits for 115 new housing units in Ames in 2025 (65 in single-family houses), 1.7 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Ames work and get to work?
62.5% of Ames's workers drive alone and 12.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.8%.
| Measure | Ames | Story County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.2% ±1.4 pts | 66.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% ±1.5 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 62.5% ±2.0 pts | 68.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.3% ±1.2 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 5.5% ±1.1 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Walked | 10.2% ±1.1 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.1% ±1.4 pts | 11.8% | +7.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.6 min ±0.8 | 17.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Ames?
17 census tracts lie mostly in Ames, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $22,141 (Tract 11.02) to $148,269 (Tract 12).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 13.04Story County | 5,842 | $39,091 |
| Tract 5Story County | 5,452 | $22,500 |
| Tract 10Story County | 5,311 | $43,979 |
| Tract 8Story County | 4,858 | not published |
| Tract 13.03Story County | 4,736 | $64,980 |
| Tract 6Story County | 4,871 | $90,469 |
| Tract 11.02Story County | 4,315 | $22,141 |
| Tract 13.02Story County | 6,029 | $65,168 |
| Tract 1.02Story County | 3,949 | $119,613 |
| Tract 9Story County | 3,356 | $68,813 |
| Tract 7Story County | 3,344 | $39,375 |
| Tract 11.01Story County | 3,337 | $56,982 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Ames) · Census block assignment files
How does Ames compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ames is the 573rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 8th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Ames ranks 208th of 279 places in Iowa with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 8th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 69th | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 6th | 279 |
| Median household income | 208th | 279 |
| Per capita income | 197th | 279 |
| Median home value | 38th | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 49th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 4th | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 2nd | 279 |
| Median age | 278th | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 279th | 279 |
| Work from home | 58th | 221 |
| Travel time to work | 232nd | 279 |
Ames's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Ames with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Ames?
4 of the 57 figures for Ames on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Ames are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Ames.