How long do people stay in their homes in Ames, IA?

Name: How long people stay in Ames, IA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

46.0% (±2.7 points) of households in Ames, IA moved into their current home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

9.3% have lived in it since before 2000.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Moved in 2020 or later: 46.0% (±2.7 points)
Since before 2000: 9.3%

When households in Ames moved in

Occupied housing units by year the householder moved in, 2020–2024
Moved in	Ames	Story County	Iowa	United States
2023 or later	11.0% (±1.5 points)	8.5%	4.7%	4.6%
2020 to 2022	35.0% (±2.3 points)	28.4%	19.6%	20.2%
2010 to 2019	35.6% (±2.4 points)	37.1%	38.7%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	9.1% (±1.4 points)	12.4%	16.4%	16.4%
1990 to 1999	5.9% (±0.9 points)	7.6%	9.9%	9.6%
1989 or earlier	3.4% (±0.5 points)	6.0%	10.8%	9.5%

A high share of recent movers usually means more renting households and more turnover; a high share of long-time residents usually means more owners who have stayed.

In Ames, the share of households that moved in since 2020 is higher than in Story County (36.9%).

It is also higher than in Iowa (24.3%).

It is higher than the national figure (24.8%).

Households that moved in since 2020 in places near Ames

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Ames
Place	Distance	Households that moved in since 2020	Compared with this place
Ames	—	46.0% (±2.7 points)	—
Gilbert	5.7 mi	16.4% (±6.4 points)	Lower
Kelley	5.7 mi	44.9% (±28.1 points)	Not measurably different
Nevada	7.8 mi	25.7% (±5.2 points)	Lower
Huxley	9.1 mi	28.2% (±8.0 points)	Lower
Cambridge	9.6 mi	10.9% (±5.6 points)	Lower
Slater	11 mi	15.7% (±6.7 points)	Lower
Luther	11 mi	0.0% (±47.8 points)	Not measurably different
Story City	11 mi	21.8% (±9.1 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Gilbert, IA (16.4%), Nevada, IA (25.7%), Huxley, IA (28.2%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that moved in since 2020 across Story County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that moved in since 2020
1	Ames	46.0% (±2.7 points)
2	Kelley	44.9% (±28.1 points)
3	McCallsburg	34.4% (±19.2 points)
4	Huxley	28.2% (±8.0 points)
5	Nevada	25.7% (±5.2 points)
6	Story City	21.8% (±9.1 points)
7	Roland	19.5% (±7.8 points)

Showing 7 of 15 places in Story County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Ames

How often do people move in Ames?

46.0% of households in Ames, IA moved into their home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many long-time residents does Ames have?

9.3% of households in Ames have lived in their home since 1999 or earlier.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Ames city, Iowa

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Ames city, Iowa (place:01855, in state:19).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0051PE, DP04_0051PM, DP04_0052PE, DP04_0052PM, DP04_0053PE, DP04_0053PM, DP04_0054PE, DP04_0054PM, DP04_0055PE, DP04_0055PM, DP04_0056PE, DP04_0056PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.