All Countries
Ames, IA
Full City Profile · Iowa · Story County County
3.5
/5.0
B+
Good
66,112
Population
2,344/sq mi density
$60,102
Median Income
$33,314 per capita
$263,800
Home Value
$269,519 Zillow
$1,040
Median Rent
31.7% income on rent
50°F
Avg Temperature
260 sunny days/yr
198
Violent Crime/100K
1,716 property/100K
B+
Overall
3.5 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B+
Economy
3.9 / 5.0
$60,102 median income, 4.1% unemployment
A
Affordability
4.2 / 5.0
$263,800 home value, $1,040/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
198 violent crimes/100K
A+
Education
5.0 / 5.0
63.5% bachelor's degree or higher
Change Over Time (2013–2023)
Population Change
+8.5%
63,091 → 68,428
over 10 years
Annual Pop. Growth
+0.82%
Compound annual growth rate
Median Income Change
+40.7%
$42,714 → $60,102
nominal, not inflation-adjusted
Annual Income Growth
+3.47%
Compound annual growth rate
Population Over Time
Total population for Ames across each available Census ACS release.
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income reported by U.S. Census ACS. Values are nominal (not adjusted for inflation).
Projected 2030
Simple projections extrapolating the 2013–2023 compound annual growth rate forward. These are mathematical extensions of recent trends, not forecasts — real outcomes depend on migration, policy and economic shifts.
Projected Population 2030
72,454
+4,026 from 2023 (68,428)
Projected Median Income 2030
$76,312
+$16,210 from 2023 ($60,102)
Year-by-Year Detail
| Year | Population | YoY % | Median Income | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 63,091 | — | $42,714 | — |
| 2015 | 65,753 | +4.2% | $41,616 | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 66,338 | +0.9% | $42,755 | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 66,505 | +0.3% | $48,105 | +12.5% |
| 2021 | 66,424 | -0.1% | $54,339 | +13% |
| 2023 | 68,428 | +3% | $60,102 | +10.6% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates (Data Commons). Home value and rent are not yet available historically.