Ames, IA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Ames, IA Summary
Cost of living in Ames research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Ames is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Iowa, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Ames is 104, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Ames is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Ames ranks as the #75 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.
Ames ranks as the #3,063 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Ames is $271,994.
The median income in Ames is $60,102.
Table Of Contents
Ames's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Ames, IA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Ames has an overall cost of living index of 104, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, Ames has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Iowa's index of 90.
The standard of living in Ames ranks as #75 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Ames ranks as the #10 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in Ames, check out:
In Iowa
In America
Ames Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Ames. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Ames is 102.
The Groceries index in Ames is 100.
The Health index in Ames is 110.
The Housing index in Ames is 112.
The Transportation index in Ames is 96.
The Utilities index in Ames is 96.
| Living Expense | Ames | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 104 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 102 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 110 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 112 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 96 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 96 | 94 | 100 | |
Ames, IA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Iowa, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Ames is $271,994.
The Median Rent in Ames is $1,040.
The Median Income in Ames is $60,102.
The Home Value To Income in Ames is 4.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Ames is 0.21x.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Ames, IA Costs By Category
Detailed Ames Services Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Ames Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Ames Health Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Ames Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa
Detailed Ames Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa
Ames SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Ames
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Ames. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Ankeny, IA has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Ames.
West Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.0x Ames.
Urbandale, IA has a cost of living index of 103, 1.0x Ames.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Ames |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ankeny, IA | 70,542 | 101 | 1.0x |
| West Des Moines, IA | 69,893 | 102 | 1.0x |
| Urbandale, IA | 46,026 | 103 | 1.0x |
| Waukee, IA | 26,974 | 106 | 1.0x |
| Johnston, IA | 24,196 | 109 | 1.0x |
| Altoona, IA | 20,592 | 97 | 0.9x |
| Clive, IA | 18,776 | 109 | 1.0x |
| Grimes, IA | 15,810 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Norwalk, IA | 13,610 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Pleasant Hill, IA | 10,796 | 102 | 1.0x |
