Ames, IA

Figures — including the cost index, median rent, and median home value — cover the wider Ames, IA metropolitan area, not individual neighbourhoods or city boundaries.

Seasonal weather

30-year climate normals (1991–2020) from AMES MUNI AP, via NOAA.

What it costs to live in Ames, IA

The Ames, IA metro area has an overall price level of 88.8 compared with the national average of 100, meaning everyday costs run about 11.2% lower than a typical US metro. Housing tells the sharper story: at 69.2 it is 30.8% below the national average. Housing rents are often one of the largest sources of difference between metro areas, so this figure can have a significant impact when comparing locations.

Cost breakdown

Ames, IA is moved down the most by housing rents, at 69.2 vs a US average of 100, while the closest to average is goods.

How Ames, IA compares

Other metros in Iowa

Data source

Figures on this page come from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities dataset, 2024 — the most recent year published. An index of 100 marks the national average; a metro above 100 has higher prices than a typical US metro, below 100 lower. Median rent and median home value are from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-year estimates, and seasonal weather is from NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals. These are regional figures only, not a complete personal budget — they don’t account for individual spending habits, taxes, or household circumstances. See the full methodology for how the index and salary-equivalent estimates are calculated.

Compare My City is an independent project and is not operated by, endorsed by, or affiliated with the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Census Bureau, or NOAA.

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