Jobs, pay and daily life in Ames, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Ames is a city in Iowa with 67,669 residents. The median household earns $60,991 a year and the median rent is $1,023 a month, which is 20.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Ames, IA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 55,890 jobs.
How Ames compares. Among the 60 largest places in Iowa, Ames is #8 by population, #1 for college degrees (#1 = most), #60 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #11 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Story County, is #8 of 99 counties for average pay ($62,615).
Ames has 67,669 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 2.1% of the population of Iowa. It covers 28 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,399 people per square mile. The median age is 23.3, 40% younger than the state median (23.3 against 38.6).
The median gross rent is $1,023 a month (rent plus utilities), 5% above the state median ($1,023 against $972). Over a year that is 20.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $277,400, which is 4.5 times the median household income ($60,991). 42.1% of households own their home, 41% below the state average (42.1% against 71.7%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Ames, IA metropolitan area has 55,890 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $50,220 a year, about the same as the national median ($50,220 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are food preparation and serving related (5,630 jobs, median $30,020); office and administrative support (5,290 jobs, median $46,490); educational instruction and library (5,070 jobs, median $61,790). The area is most specialised in educational instruction and library (1.6 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.1 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are educational instruction and library ($61,790) and office and administrative support ($46,490). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Story County was 3.1%. 66.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Story County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 62.5% drive alone, 5.5% use public transit, 10.2% walk, 12.1% work from home. 4.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 51% below the state average (4.0% against 8.2%).
65.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 109% above the state share (65.8% against 31.4%). 11.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 97% above the state share (11.7% against 5.9%). The poverty rate is 25.4%, 130% above the state rate (25.4% against 11.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 20°F (-6.4°C). About 866 mm (34 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (128 mm) and Jan the driest (22 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Nevada (8 miles, rent 7% lower); Boone (13 miles, rent 19% lower); Ankeny (20 miles, rent 29% higher); Johnston (24 miles, rent 31% higher). Rent differences are against Ames; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Iowa (226) →State guide: IowaCountry guideStory CountyIowa rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 226 federal postings open in Iowa (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,620 | 1.17 | $29,220 | $21,680 | $36,710 | -6% |
| Cashiers | 1,470 | 1.33 | $29,230 | $23,280 | $36,430 | -11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,460 | 1.04 | $32,460 | $26,450 | $46,130 | -8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,110 | 1.09 | $36,240 | $29,900 | $48,460 | -3% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,070 | 0.88 | $77,160 | $64,360 | $99,440 | -21% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,040 | 0.82 | $97,700 | $43,680 | $200,000 | -8% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,030 | 1.29 | $35,300 | $29,540 | $47,180 | -4% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,010 | 1.24 | $22,710 | $15,080 | $50,610 | -36% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 780 | 1.52 | $30,420 | $22,500 | $36,500 | -17% |
| Nursing Assistants | 770 | 1.47 | $43,540 | $37,010 | $48,920 | +3% |
| Office Clerks, General | 710 | 0.80 | $45,450 | $30,770 | $62,820 | +1% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 710 | 1.82 | $76,510 | $49,910 | $104,380 | -8% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 700 | 0.45 | $35,660 | $32,030 | $44,980 | -0% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 690 | 0.74 | $42,820 | $30,820 | $63,040 | -4% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 670 | 1.22 | $54,770 | $37,480 | $73,830 | +10% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 650 | 0.61 | $40,280 | $31,050 | $58,320 | +0% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 640 | 0.87 | $54,510 | $42,430 | $69,200 | -7% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 620 | 1.02 | $48,740 | $36,640 | $61,600 | +3% |
| Construction Laborers | 600 | 1.52 | $49,810 | $39,950 | $71,380 | +6% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 570 | 1.13 | $36,410 | $29,380 | $48,200 | -3% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 1,040 | 0.82 | $97,700 | $43,680 | $200,000 | -8% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 530 | 1.02 | $79,320 | $52,370 | $126,450 | -5% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,070 | 0.88 | $77,160 | $64,360 | $99,440 | -21% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 710 | 1.82 | $76,510 | $49,910 | $104,380 | -8% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 670 | 1.22 | $54,770 | $37,480 | $73,830 | +10% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 640 | 0.87 | $54,510 | $42,430 | $69,200 | -7% |
| Construction Laborers | 600 | 1.52 | $49,810 | $39,950 | $71,380 | +6% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 620 | 1.02 | $48,740 | $36,640 | $61,600 | +3% |
| Office Clerks, General | 710 | 0.80 | $45,450 | $30,770 | $62,820 | +1% |
| Nursing Assistants | 770 | 1.47 | $43,540 | $37,010 | $48,920 | +3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 690 | 0.74 | $42,820 | $30,820 | $63,040 | -4% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 650 | 0.61 | $40,280 | $31,050 | $58,320 | +0% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 570 | 1.13 | $36,410 | $29,380 | $48,200 | -3% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,110 | 1.09 | $36,240 | $29,900 | $48,460 | -3% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 700 | 0.45 | $35,660 | $32,030 | $44,980 | -0% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,030 | 1.29 | $35,300 | $29,540 | $47,180 | -4% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,460 | 1.04 | $32,460 | $26,450 | $46,130 | -8% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 780 | 1.52 | $30,420 | $22,500 | $36,500 | -17% |
| Cashiers | 1,470 | 1.33 | $29,230 | $23,280 | $36,430 | -11% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,620 | 1.17 | $29,220 | $21,680 | $36,710 | -6% |
These figures are for the whole Ames, IA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $50,220 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 39.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 12.6% |
| Retail trade | 12.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.7% |
| Manufacturing | 7.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.7% |
| Construction | 3.6% |
| Public administration | 3.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.7% |
| Other services | 2.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
| Information | 1.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Ames lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Story County | 100,466 | $7,790 million | $77,540 | 47,549 | 3,066 | $62,615 | -0.3% | 3.1% | 57,132 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 5,213 | 16.4% | $32,142 | 1.10 |
| Manufacturing | 5,082 | 16.0% | $74,821 | 1.30 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,647 | 14.6% | $20,282 | 1.07 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,501 | 14.2% | $61,279 | 0.66 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,456 | 7.7% | $110,766 | 0.74 |
| Construction | 1,917 | 6.0% | $71,124 | 0.77 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,813 | 5.7% | $44,608 | 0.65 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,133 | 3.6% | $49,237 | 0.79 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,097 | 3.5% | $90,282 | 0.59 |
| Real estate and rental | 889 | 2.8% | $57,763 | 1.20 |
| Finance and insurance | 859 | 2.7% | $89,634 | 0.45 |
| Management of companies | 715 | 2.3% | $144,916 | 0.89 |
| Information | 564 | 1.8% | $102,891 | 0.63 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 535 | 1.7% | $23,465 | 0.67 |
| Educational services | 347 | 1.1% | $35,918 | 0.35 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 62.5% |
| Public transit | 5.5% |
| Walk | 10.2% |
| Work from home | 12.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,991 |
| Income per person | $34,343 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,023 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.1% |
| Median home value | $277,400 |
| Homeowners | 42.1% |
| Poverty rate | 25.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 88.8 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $50,220 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.80%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 23.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 97.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 65.8% |
| Born abroad | 11.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 66.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -6.4 | 20 | 22 |
| Feb | -4.9 | 23 | 28 |
| Mar | 2.6 | 37 | 46 |
| Apr | 9.8 | 50 | 90 |
| May | 16.0 | 61 | 117 |
| Jun | 21.9 | 71 | 128 |
| Jul | 24.2 | 76 | 93 |
| Aug | 22.9 | 73 | 110 |
| Sep | 18.5 | 65 | 86 |
| Oct | 10.3 | 51 | 68 |
| Nov | 3.1 | 38 | 40 |
| Dec | -3.7 | 25 | 38 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | IA | 8 mi | 6,983 | $75,094 | $953 |
| Boone | IA | 13 mi | 12,424 | $69,222 | $831 |
| Ankeny | IA | 20 mi | 72,615 | $108,198 | $1,319 |
| Johnston | IA | 24 mi | 24,384 | $106,551 | $1,338 |
| Bondurant | IA | 24 mi | 8,560 | $135,674 | $1,337 |
| Grimes | IA | 26 mi | 16,366 | $120,037 | $1,251 |
| Altoona | IA | 27 mi | 21,495 | $86,114 | $1,235 |
| Perry | IA | 28 mi | 7,985 | $68,910 | $931 |
| Urbandale | IA | 28 mi | 46,595 | $112,795 | $1,211 |
| Clive | IA | 30 mi | 19,012 | $132,121 | $1,073 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
67,669 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,023 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.1% of the median household income.
$60,991 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.1% (BLS county, Story County (latest month 2026M09)).
Iowa. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.