This section is generated from cached city metrics and clearly labeled state-level benchmarks. It is meant to make the Ames page less generic and more useful for comparing housing, income, utilities, taxes, insurance, demographics, and nearby alternatives.
Affordability Summary
Population is 66,112, so Ames should be compared with similar-size places before using broader Iowa averages. Median household income is $60,102, so the best affordability read for Ames is income versus housing, taxes, utilities, and insurance together.
Median home value is $263,800, so ownership costs in Ames should be checked with mortgage, property tax, insurance, and maintenance assumptions. Two-bedroom rent is $1,040/mo, so renters can compare Ames against ownership costs and nearby rental markets.
Housing and Income Context
For Ames, income sits in the middle range, making recurring bills worth watching. Home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.
Use the home value, rent, and income fields together before deciding whether Ames looks more favorable for renting, buying, or comparing with Gilbert, IA.
Utility Cost Context
The residential electricity benchmark is $0.134/kWh, so Ames households should treat usage, home size, heating, and cooling as the practical bill drivers. The electricity value shown for Ames is a Iowa state-level EIA benchmark, so it should not be read as a local provider tariff.
For Ames, utility planning is stronger when the electric benchmark is paired with home age, square footage, insulation, HVAC equipment, and household occupancy.
Property Tax Context
Median property tax paid is $3,838, so Ames buyers should still verify parcel-specific tax records before budgeting. Parcel boundaries, exemptions, school districts, and reassessment rules can move the actual bill for a Ames address.
Compare the property tax field with home value rather than reading it by itself; a lower tax bill can still pair with a different assessment base or exemption profile.
Insurance and Risk Context
Insurance costs in Ames depend on address-level factors such as roof condition, structure age, coverage limits, claims history, deductible choice, and carrier underwriting.
Home value, tax burden, and insurance exposure should be reviewed together for Ames, especially when comparing with Gilbert, IA.
Population and Demographics
Median age is 23.3, so Ames may have different school, commute, healthcare, and housing demand patterns than a statewide average. Bachelor+ share is 63.5%, so Ames education context can be useful when reading labor-market and school sections.
Unemployment is 3.3%, so Ames wage and job-market context should be compared with commute options and regional employment centers.
