What is the median rent in Ames, IA?
The median gross rent in Ames, IA is $1,023 (±$38) a month, according to the US Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
That is across 14,789 rented homes; gross rent is the contract rent plus the utilities and fuels a renter pays separately.
In Ames, the median gross rent went from $930 in 2015–2019 to $1,023 in 2020–2024 (+10.0%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose more slowly than prices: a measurable decrease after inflation.
Figures last updated on .
- Median gross rent
- $1,023 (±$38)
- Rented homes
- 14,789 (±634)
- $2,000 or more
- 5.1%
- Since 2015–2019
- +10.0%
How much rent costs in Ames
| Monthly gross rent | Ames | Story County | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than $500 | 3.6% (±1.4 points) | 4.6% | 8.4% | 6.3% |
| $500 to $999 | 44.2% (±3.9 points) | 43.7% | 44.8% | 20.2% |
| $1,000 to $1,499 | 36.7% (±3.4 points) | 36.0% | 32.3% | 28.1% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 10.4% (±2.8 points) | 10.4% | 9.8% | 21.1% |
| $2,000 to $2,499 | 2.6% (±0.9 points) | 2.6% | 2.7% | 12.0% |
| $2,500 to $2,999 | 0.6% (±0.4 points) | 0.9% | 0.6% | 5.5% |
| $3,000 or more | 1.9% (±0.8 points) | 1.9% | 1.4% | 6.8% |
The most common range is $500 to $999, paid by 44.2% of renting households.
5.1% of rented homes in Ames cost $2,000 or more a month.
Ames against Story County, its state and the nation
| Ames | Story County | Iowa | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,023 (±$38) | $1,018 (±$35) | $972 (±$6) | $1,413 |
| Rented homes paying rent | 14,789 (±634) | 16,965 (±697) | 350,667 (±3,497) | 42,849,984 |
In Ames, median gross rent is not measurably different from Story County ($1,018).
It is also higher than in Iowa ($972).
It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).
In Story County, Ames ranks 4 of 14 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median gross rent.
Statewide, it ranks 111 of 727.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How rent in Ames has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $930 (±$19) | $1,023 (±$38) | +10.0% | Down after inflation |
| Households that rent | 59.3% (±1.8 points) | 57.9% (±1.8 points) | −1.4 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.5% (±1.7 points) | 6.7% (±2.3 points) | +3.2 percentage points | Measurable increase |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Median gross rent in places near Ames
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | — | $1,023 (±$38) | — |
| Gilbert | 5.7 mi | $865 (±$33) | Lower |
| Kelley | 5.7 mi | $966 (±$286) | Not measurably different |
| Nevada | 7.8 mi | $953 (±$78) | Not measurably different |
| Huxley | 9.1 mi | $1,393 (±$389) | Not measurably different |
| Cambridge | 9.6 mi | $1,043 (±$216) | Not measurably different |
| Slater | 11 mi | $895 (±$129) | Not measurably different |
| Story City | 11 mi | $999 (±$119) | Not measurably different |
| Roland | 11 mi | $1,375 (±$717) | Not measurably different |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Gilbert, IA ($865).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Median gross rent across Story County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Median gross rent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huxley | $1,393 (±$389) |
| 2 | Roland | $1,375 (±$717) |
| 3 | Cambridge | $1,043 (±$216) |
| 4 | Ames | $1,023 (±$38) |
| 5 | Story City | $999 (±$119) |
| 6 | Kelley | $966 (±$286) |
| 7 | Nevada | $953 (±$78) |
| 8 | Colo | $950 (±$242) |
| 9 | Slater | $895 (±$129) |
| 10 | Zearing | $883 (±$232) |
Showing 10 of 14 places in Story County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Ames
What is the average rent in Ames, IA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Ames is $1,023 (±$38) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much has rent gone up in Ames?
In Ames, the median gross rent went from $930 in 2015–2019 to $1,023 in 2020–2024 (+10.0%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose more slowly than prices: a measurable decrease after inflation.
How many rentals in Ames cost more than $2,000 a month?
5.1% of rented homes in Ames have a gross rent of $2,000 or more a month, and 3.6% cost less than $500.
Is rent in Ames higher than in Story County?
In Ames, median gross rent is not measurably different from Story County ($1,018).
It is also higher than in Iowa ($972).
It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).
Is this the rent for an apartment listed today?
No: these are rents households reported paying across 2020–2024, not asking rents for vacant homes, which usually run higher.
Sources
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Ames city, Iowa
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Ames city, Iowa
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Ames city, Iowa
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
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 2015–2019 figures are B25064_001E, B25064_001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP04_0126E, DP04_0126M, DP04_0127PE, DP04_0127PM, DP04_0128PE, DP04_0128PM, DP04_0129PE, DP04_0129PM, DP04_0130PE, DP04_0130PM, DP04_0131PE, DP04_0131PM, DP04_0132PE, DP04_0132PM, DP04_0133PE, DP04_0133PM
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.
Figures last updated on .
Related
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- Bedrooms in Ames
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- Vacancy rate in Ames
- Heating fuel in Ames
- Commute and cars in Ames
- Crime reported to police in Ames
- Population growth in Ames
- How long people stay in Ames
- Crowding and facilities in Ames
- Iowa landlord and tenant rules
- Housing across Story County
- Iowa places ranked by median rent
- Housing data for every place in Iowa