Ames, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 99, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Ames is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Ames ranks as the #72 cheapest in Iowa out of 80.

  • Ames ranks as the #3,027 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Ames is $222,900.

  • The median income in Ames is $54,339.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
99
Ames's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower 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 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Ames has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Iowa's index of 89.

The standard of living in Ames ranks as #72 most affordable out of the 80 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Ames ranks as the #8 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Ames, check out:

72 out of 80
In Iowa
3,027 out of 6,412
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 101.

  • The Groceries index in Ames is 101.

  • The Health index in Ames is 102.

  • The Housing index in Ames is 93.

  • The Transportation index in Ames is 104.

  • The Utilities index in Ames is 89.

Living Expense Ames Iowa National Average
Overall 99 89 100
Services 101 95 100
Groceries 101 98 100
Health 102 99 100
Housing 93 73 100
Transportation 104 98 100
Utilities 89 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Ames Cost of Living Vs. IA

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Ames is $222,900.

  • The Median Rent in Ames is $972.

  • The Median Income in Ames is $54,339.

  • The Home Value To Income in Ames is 4.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Ames is 0.21x.

Statistic Ames Iowa United States
Median Home Value $222,900 $160,700 $244,900
Median Rent $972 $845 $1,163
Median Income $54,339 $65,429 $69,021
Home Value To Income 4.1x 2.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.15x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Ames, IA
$222,900
Median Home Value
$972
Median Rent
$54,339
Median Income

Ames, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Ames Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Ames Iowa
Shampoo $1.61 $1.06
Movie $8.62 $10.68
Bowling $15.57 $14.67
Haircut $22.76 $18.62
Beauty Salon $31.95 $39.05

Detailed Ames Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Ames Iowa
Ground Beef $4.39 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.64 $1.39
Milk $2.2 $2.05
Potatoes $2.86 $3.29
Pizza $9.81 $10.62
Beer $8.86 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.53 $2.34

Detailed Ames Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Ames Iowa
Optometrist $109.17 $108.57
Doctor $127.0 $116.17
Dentist $89.67 $99.13

Detailed Ames Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Ames Iowa
Gasoline $2.18 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.81 $50.07

Detailed Ames Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Ames Iowa
All Electricity $143.46 $167.67
Phone $180.82 $175.64

Ames SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8
Affordability
5
Diversity
8
Safety
7
Amenities
9
Education
9.5
Commute
9.5

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:

  • West Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 99, 1.0x Ames.

  • Ankeny, IA has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Ames.

  • Urbandale, IA has a cost of living index of 99, 1.0x Ames.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Ames
West Des Moines, IA 67,640 99 1.0x
Ankeny, IA 66,346 96 1.0x
Urbandale, IA 45,037 99 1.0x
Waukee, IA 23,441 95 1.0x
Johnston, IA 23,418 104 1.1x
Altoona, IA 19,345 93 0.9x
Clive, IA 18,323 102 1.0x
Grimes, IA 14,842 98 1.0x
Norwalk, IA 12,592 91 0.9x
Pleasant Hill, IA 10,203 94 0.9x

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