Best Places to Live in Ames, Iowa

College town - Central Iowa, 25 miles north of Des Moines. June, September and August are the most pleasant months in Ames, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

Pros

-College-town amenities
-Steady employment
-Cost of living

Cons

-Outdoor recreation
-Low diversity
-Harsh winters

Local Listings in Ames

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$298,500

1606 Woodhaven Cir
Bed 3 | Bath 3 | 1570 SqFt

$399,900

804 Duff Ave
Bed 4 | Bath 3 | 3608 SqFt

$219,900

1328 Curtiss Ave
Bed 3 | Bath 2 | 1988 SqFt

What Bert Has To Say About Ames Metro Area

Home to land-grant Iowa State University, Ames is a pleasant college town a short distance north of Des Moines along I-35. Downtown is typical of most small college towns, clean, attractive and containing a variety of independent small businesses. The economic base is steady, anchored by the university and other state agencies and an assortment of mostly agricultural, pharmaceutical and biotech-related manufacturing and research facilities for companies like 3M, BASF, Ball Plastics and Boehringer Ingleheim.

Best Neighborhoods In Ames, Iowa: Download the BestPlaces App

QUICK FACTS

Real Estate: For Sale
Country: United States
State: Iowa
County: Story County
Metro Area: Ames Metro Area
Political Ideology: Somewhat liberal

Schools: See Local Schools

City: Ames
Zip Codes: 50010 50014 50012 50011
Time zone: Central Standard Time (CST)
Elevation: 921 ft above sea level

Highlights

ECONOMY

The unemployment rate in Ames is 1.5% (U.S. avg. is 3.9%). Recent job growth is Positive. Ames jobs have increased by 2.3%. More Economy

COST OF LIVING

Compared to the rest of the country, Ames's cost of living is 6.6% lower than the U.S. average. More Cost of Living or Compare Ames's Cost of Living

WEATHER & CLIMATE

June, September and August are the most pleasant months in Ames, while January and December are the least comfortable months. Today's Weather | Climate Averages

VOTING

Story county voted Democratic in the previous five Presidential elections. More Voting Stats

POPULATION

Ames's population is 65,005 people. Since 2010, it has had a population growth of 13.4%. Learn More...

TRANSPORTATION

Average Commute time is 16.4 minutes. The National Average is 26.4 minutes. Learn More...

REAL ESTATE

The median home cost in Ames is $183,400. Home appreciation the last 10 years has been 3.0%. Check out the homes in the area

SCHOOLS

Ames public schools spend $11,680 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $12,383. There are about 14.6 students per teacher in Ames. More Education

Best Places to Live in Ames Rankings

#12	Emerging Metropolitan Areas
#39	Best Green Cities

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Housing Market in Ames

It's a good time to buy in Ames. Home Appreciation is up 3.0% in the last 12 months. Browse Ames Real Estate

The median home price in Ames is $183,400. Browse Homes in this Range.

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Reviews for Ames 12 Reviews

From California to Iowa - 9/30/2012
Hello, I am in San Jose Ca, but am seriously thinking of moving somewhere much slower for a better quality of living. I've just turned 59, so I'm kinda preparing for... Read More

Deborah | San Jose, CA | Reply | No Replies

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Good and Bad - 2/5/2012
Like every other city Ames has both good and bad points. The good points are: low cost of living, very friendly people, lots of outdoor activities and quite a few events... Read More

Suzanne | Ames, IA | Reply | No Replies

Cost of Living in Ames, Iowa - 12/18/2010
Ames enjoys a high quality of life at a very affordable cost, substantially lower than many other communities. The presence of Iowa State University, a large (28,000... Read More

Mack | Ames, IA | Reply | No Replies

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MAPS OF AMES, IOWA

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ZIP CODES IN AMES, IOWA

50010 50014 50012 50011

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