A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A+
  2. Crime & Safety
    B
  3. Housing
    B+
  4. Nightlife
    A
  5. Good for Families
    A+
  6. Diversity
    B+
  7. Jobs
    B+
  8. Weather
    B-
  9. Cost of Living
    B
  10. Health & Fitness
    B+
  11. Outdoor Activities
    B
  12. Commute
    A+
View Full Report Card
Population
62,815

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$174,300
National
$178,600
Median Rent
$785
National
$928
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    59%
  • Own
    41%

Ames Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
B
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    81
    0
  • Murder
    2
    0
  • Rape
    45
    41
  • Robbery
    25
    0
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    308
    1
  • Theft
    1,527
    2,081
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    68
    0

Residents

Diversity
B+
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Median Household Income
$41,616
National
$53,889
Children
11%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    29%
    11%
  • Bachelor's degree
    32%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    23%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    13%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3%
    13%
  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges
Places like Ames
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Ames Reviews

241 reviews
All Categories
I am a student at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Ames is a fantastic city that suits people of all ages and al life stages, despite its being known as a college town. It is a safe environment for students to learn, parents to raise kids, and the elderly to settle down. It's easy to get yourself involved in community or religious activities as there are select activities to choose from during all seasons of the year. Ames has a wide variety of stores to meet all of your living needs, and if you want to go out and have a good time after Iowa State wins a crazy basketball game, there are so many restaurant choices. I promise you won't go hungry! Ames has gorgeous trails to explore in the summer and fall, and winters aren't so bad since there is an ice skating rink for perfect romantic dates with your significant other. Although I chose to live here for the sake of my education, I wouldn't hesitate to pursue a career and raise a family after graduation in this lovely city!
Review Ames
Having spent most of my life overseas, I can safely conclude that Ames is the best town I have ever lived in. The Ames police are great. Diversity is definitely not lacking in this middle-sized campus town. Not to forget to mention that our very own bus system - CyRide - makes my experience of living in Ames a whole lot better! I am a city girl, but no matter where I end up to be after I graduate, a part of me will always be with Ames.
Ames is a big town with a small town feel. Due to the presence of Iowa State University, the town is extremely populated during the year, but during the summer nearly 2/3 of Ames (AKA Students) travel home for the summer. Ames is a wonderful town with numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation, great restaurants, numerous job opportunities, and plenty of wonderful people. The town is continuous growing with two school districts in the area that are both great (Ames and Gilbert Community School District). Perfect for families with kids or perfect for new house owners, Ames has everything that anyone could need.