Primary sources for Ames, IA
- Census Bureau profile of Ames, IA, ACS data
- EIA-861 utility data for Ames, IA, prices
- DOE LEAD tool for Ames, IA, energy burden
- NOAA storms and FEMA flood claims for Ames, IA
Electricity rates in Ames, Iowa
Ames, IA ranks 1 of 15 Iowa cities for the share of renter households (57%). Ames, Iowa has 66,112 residents in 25,445 households; 32.2% heat with electricity.
Ames on the map
Story County, with Ames marked
Housing and heating in Ames
Ames, IA: 11,095 of 27,706 homes were built before 1980 and 10,132 in 2000 or later. Ames, IA has 11,016 detached houses, 11,813 homes in 5+ unit buildings and 752 mobile homes.
Age of homes in Ames, IA
% of homes by decade built, Ames, IA
- 9pre-40
- 240s
- 850s
- 960s
- 1170s
- 880s
- 1590s
- 1800s
- 1710s
- 220+
Heating fuel in Ames, IA
| Ames, IA | Value | County | Gap | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA, median year built | 1991 | 1983 | +8 years | 5 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, built before 1980 | 40.0% | 47.5% | -7.5 points | 11 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, built 2000 or later | 36.6% | 30.7% | +5.8 points | 5 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, detached houses | 39.8% | 52.6% | -12.8 points | 15 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, apartments in 5+ unit buildings | 42.6% | 31.0% | +11.6 points | 1 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, mobile homes | 2.7% | 3.7% | -1.0 points | 9 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, renter households | 57.1% | 44.0% | +13.1 points | 1 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, median home value | $263,800 | $243,600 | +$20,200 | 6 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, median gross rent a month | $1,040 | $1,019 | +$21 | 8 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, people per household | 2.13 | 2.23 | -0.10 | 15 of 15 |
Who supplies Ames
Story County lists 4 utilities for Ames, IA (66,112 residents): homes pay 12.10 to 17.90 cents per kWh, about $101 to $149 a month at 832 kWh, 2.0% to 3.0% of the $60,102 Ames median income. Story County page.
Facts about Ames
- Residents of Ames, IA, ACS 2023
- 66,1129 of 15 Iowa cities with 30,000+
- Median household income in Ames, IA
- $60,10213 of 15 of those cities
- Households in Ames, IA
- 25,4452.60 people each
- Owner-occupied homes in Ames, IA
- 42.9%10,915 owners and 14,530 renter households
- Housing units in Ames, IA
- 27,7062,261 vacant or seasonal
- Homes heated by electricity in Ames, IA
- 32.2%8,188 of 25,445 homes
- Land area of Ames, IA
- 28.2 sq mi2,344.1 people per sq mi
- Bill as share of income in Ames, IA
- 2.0% to 3.0%at 832 kWh a month over the $60,102 median household income
- Wind and tornado reports within 15 miles of Ames, IA
- 103NWS point reports 2015 to 2025, 155.8 per 100,000 residents
- Median year homes were built in Ames, IA
- 199111,095 of 27,706 homes (40.0%) before 1980
- Median home value and rent in Ames, IA
- $263,800$1,040 gross rent a month, 4.73% of value a year
Who lives in Ames: income, cars, homes
In Ames, IA, 7,353 of 13,866 renter households pay 30% or more of income in rent; 14,329 households moved in since 2018 and 2,714 before 2000, so electric accounts turn over quickly. In Ames, IA, 7,611 of 25,445 households earn under $35,000, 7,781 $35,000-$75,000, 6,507 $75,000-$150,000 and 3,546 $150,000 or more. 14,035 residents of Ames, IA live below the poverty line, and the median age is 23.3. Ames, IA homes: 13,639 have 3+ bedrooms, 5,132 none or one, median 4.9 rooms. In Ames, IA, 1,814 households own no vehicle and 14,219 own two or more; home EV charging depends on that. Of 34,529 workers in Ames, IA, 3,910 work from home, 22,542 drive alone, 2,005 ride transit and 2,737 walk.
Household income in Ames, IA
| Ames, IA | Value | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA, households under $35,000 | 29.9% | 2 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, households $150,000 or more | 13.9% | 9 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, residents below poverty | 25.9% | 2 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, median age | 23.3 | 15 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, homes with 3+ bedrooms | 49.2% | 13 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, households without a vehicle | 7.1% | 7 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, households with 2+ vehicles | 55.9% | 9 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, workers at home | 11.3% | 7 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, cost-burdened renters | 53.0% | 3 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, moved in since 2018 | 56.3% | 1 of 15 |
| Ames, IA, moved in before 2000 | 10.7% | 14 of 15 |
Outage risk around Ames
Ames, IA, NWS reports within 15 miles of the centre, 2015 to 2025: 87 wind and 16 tornado, 155.8 per 100,000 residents of 66,112. Top gust near Ames, IA: 87 knots, 100 mph. Damage near Ames, IA: $4.5M.
Reports within 15 miles of Ames, IA
wind and tornado reports, Ames, IA
- 6'15
- 9'16
- 13'17
- 19'18
- 11'19
- 10'20
- 6'21
- 10'22
- 1'23
- 8'24
- 10'25
| Ames, IA | Wind | Tornado | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA, 2015 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Ames, IA, 2016 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Ames, IA, 2017 | 8 | 5 | 13 |
| Ames, IA, 2018 | 16 | 3 | 19 |
| Ames, IA, 2019 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Ames, IA, 2020 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Ames, IA, 2021 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Ames, IA, 2022 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| Ames, IA, 2023 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Ames, IA, 2024 | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Ames, IA, 2025 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
Cost of living with electricity in Ames
Ames, IA: 25,445 households at $1,156 a year per home for electricity (Story County average, DOE LEAD) come to about $29.4 million, an estimate; all home energy is $1,919 a year per household.
| Group in Ames, IA | Households | Power per home | Power bill of the group | Share of Ames, IA median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA, all households | 25,445 | $1,156 | $29.4 million | 1.92% |
| Ames, IA, homeowners | 10,915 | $1,611 | $17.6 million | 2.68% |
| Ames, IA, renters | 14,530 | $584 | $8.5 million | 0.97% |
Analyst note on Ames
Household income in Ames, IA is $60,102; 10,915 of its 25,445 households own. Ames, IA counts 66,112 residents in 25,445 households, on 28.2 square miles. 8,188 of the 25,445 occupied homes in Ames, IA heat with electricity.
Ames, IA has 27,706 housing units, 2,261 of them vacant or seasonal. A filing named like the city, City of Ames, is listed, so a local or municipal utility may serve at least part of Ames, IA. Ames, IA ranks 1 of 15 Iowa cities for homes in buildings of 5+ units (43%).
Ames, IA ranks 1 of 15 Iowa cities for the youngest residents (median age 23.3). Ames, IA ranks 2 of 15 Iowa cities for households earning under $35,000 (29.9%).
Bill and heat pump calculator, Ames
Compare Ames with nearby cities
| City near Ames, IA | Distance from Ames | Residents | Median income | Median year built | Median home value | Storm reports within 15 miles | Work from home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA (this page) | 0 mi | 66,112 | $60,102 | 1991 | $263,800 | 103 | 11.3% |
| Ankeny, IA | 20.5 mi south | 70,542 (+4,430) | $106,603 (+$46,501) | 2005 (+14 yr) | $311,300 (+$47,500) | 246 (+143) | 16.4% (+5.1 pts) |
| Urbandale, IA | 28.1 mi south | 46,026 (-20,086) | $113,086 (+$52,984) | 1992 (+1 yr) | $318,800 (+$55,000) | 298 (+195) | 15.9% (+4.5 pts) |
| Des Moines, IA | 31.4 mi south | 212,464 (+146,352) | $63,966 (+$3,864) | 1960 (-31 yr) | $183,700 (-$80,100) | 295 (+192) | 11.4% (+0.1 pts) |
| West Des Moines, IA | 33.9 mi south | 69,893 (+3,781) | $84,925 (+$24,823) | 1993 (+2 yr) | $286,300 (+$22,500) | 284 (+181) | 17.3% (+6.0 pts) |
| Cedar Falls, IA | 68.7 mi northeast | 40,662 (-25,450) | $74,165 (+$14,063) | 1975 (-16 yr) | $252,500 (-$11,300) | 85 (-18) | 11.0% (-0.3 pts) |
ZIP codes in Ames
| ZIP area touching Ames, IA | Share of the ZIP's land inside Ames | Share of Ames's land in the ZIP |
|---|---|---|
| 50010 (Ames, IA) | 30.7% | 67.1% |
| 50014 (Ames, IA) | 13.8% | 27.0% |
| 50013 (Ames, IA) | 100.0% | 2.3% |
| 50201 (Ames, IA) | 0.5% | 2.3% |
| 50012 (Ames, IA) | 100.0% | 1.2% |
Census 2020 ZCTA to place land-area overlap. Look up any ZIP.
Iowa: home prices since 2001, planned plants.
Questions on Ames
Ames: what is the electricity rate?
Ames, IA has no price of its own; its 66,112 residents are served by one of 4 utilities, and a 832 kWh month costs $101 to $149.
Ames: how does it rank among Iowa cities?
Ames, IA: rank 9 of 15 by its 66,112 residents, rank 13 of 15 by $60,102 median income.
Ames: how many homes heat with electricity?
Ames, IA: 8,188 of 25,445 occupied homes, 32.2%; Story County 28.4%.
Ames: how much income goes to electricity?
At 832 kWh a month, 2.0% to 3.0% of the $60,102 median income in Ames, IA.
Ames: damaging storms reported nearby?
103 NWS wind and tornado reports within 15 miles of the centre of Ames, IA, 2015 to 2025, 155.8 per 100,000 residents.
How old are the homes in Ames?
Ames, IA: median home built 1991; 11,095 of 27,706 homes (40.0%) predate 1980, 11,016 are detached and 11,813 sit in buildings of 5+ units.
How many Ames, IA renters struggle with rent?
7,353 of 13,866 renter households pay 30% or more of income in rent.
How many households in Ames, IA earn under $35,000?
7,611 of 25,445, against 3,546 at $150,000 or more.
How many residents of Ames, IA live below the poverty line?
14,035 residents.