Metro area profile · Iowa
Ames, IA metro area market data
How the Ames metro area compares with other metro areas for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 128,090
- +2.2% since 2020
- Households
- 49,840
- Median household income
- $73,127
- +24.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $246,300
- Jobs located here
- 57,558
- Highest market score
- 84
- Primary care and pediatrics, #12 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Ames metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Ames metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Ames metro area has an estimated 128,090 people and 49,840 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Ames metro area from 2020 to 2025 at +2.2%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Ames metro area is $73,127, 9% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 24.8%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Ames metro area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 116, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (71).
Of the business types scored in the Ames metro area, primary care and pediatric clinics (84), dentists and orthodontists (80) and medical and dental practices (80) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For primary care and pediatric clinics, that ranks #12 of 387 scored metro areas.
The Ames metro area takes in 2 counties: Story County and Boone County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for veterinarians (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for primary care and pediatric clinics (64% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Ames metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Ames metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary care and pediatrics | 84 | #12 of 387 | 13 | 2.6 | $5.4M | 303 | 38 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 80 | #8 of 387 | 42 | 8.4 | $1.7M | 170 | 35 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 80 | #11 of 387 | 268 | 53.8 | $262K | 172 | 135 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 79 | #13 of 386 | 15 | 3.0 | $4.7M | 149 | 6 |
| Spas and skin care | 77 | #7 of 387 | 26 | 5.2 | $1.9M | 216 | 7 |
| Convenience stores | 77 | #29 of 387 | 24 | 4.8 | $12.5M | 158 | 3 |
| Barbershops | 76 | #15 of 387 | 12 | 2.4 | $4.1M | 217 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 73 | #41 of 387 | 68 | 13.6 | $4.4M | 130 | 22 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 71 | #28 of 373 | 6 | 1.2 | Index only | 298 | 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 69 | #27 of 387 | 147 | 29.5 | $334K | 157 | 49 |
| Nail salons | 68 | #47 of 387 | 17 | 3.4 | $2.9M | 173 | 8 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 68 | #71 of 387 | 91 | 18.3 | $1.1M | 122 | 33 |
| Gas stations | 67 | #82 of 387 | 38 | 7.6 | $3.7M | 155 | 40 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 64 | #86 of 386 | 13 | 2.6 | $3.2M | 127 | 9 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 64 | #89 of 387 | 257 | 51.6 | $751K | 113 | 74 |
| Roofing and gutters | 63 | #89 of 381 | 15 | 3.0 | $9M | 106 | 4 |
| Auto repair shops | 62 | #97 of 387 | 107 | 21.5 | $520K | 117 | 54 |
| Auto repair and car care | 62 | #101 of 387 | 177 | 35.5 | $314K | 117 | 80 |
| Tire shops | 62 | #120 of 386 | 19 | 3.8 | $2.9M | 117 | 8 |
| Hair salons | 61 | #86 of 387 | 91 | 18.3 | $540K | 125 | 33 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 61 | #103 of 387 | 29 | 5.8 | $6.7M | 161 | 40 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 61 | #124 of 387 | 490 | 98.3 | $394K | 106 | 204 |
| Physical therapy | 60 | #116 of 386 | 24 | 4.8 | $2.9M | 122 | 22 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 60 | #128 of 387 | 69 | 13.8 | $1.4M | 112 | 33 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 59 | #134 of 381 | 14 | 2.8 | $4M | 129 | 15 |
| Car washes and detailing | 58 | #130 of 387 | 17 | 3.4 | $3.3M | 130 | 13 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 58 | #153 of 387 | 68 | 13.6 | $2.8M | 93 | 89 |
| Home repair trades | 56 | #139 of 387 | 51 | 10.2 | $2.6M | 109 | 81 |
| Laundromats | 56 | #144 of 364 | 7 | 1.4 | $14M | 112 | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | 54 | #122 of 272 | 5 | 1.0 | $19.6M | 125 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | 54 | #164 of 383 | 11 | 2.2 | $12.2M | 102 | 28 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 52 | #145 of 347 | 9 | 1.8 | $5M | 122 | 17 |
| Pest control | 52 | #163 of 345 | 5 | 1.0 | $12.2M | 120 | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 51 | #185 of 387 | 25 | 5.0 | $5.4M | 113 | 49 |
| Insurance agencies | 44 | #223 of 387 | 64 | 12.8 | $1.3M | 106 | 51 |
| Grocery stores | 44 | #238 of 387 | 34 | 6.8 | $8.8M | 95 | 19 |
| Pizza | 44 | #245 of 387 | 57 | 11.4 | $3.4M | 67 | 89 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 44 | #250 of 387 | 24 | 4.8 | $1.9M | 92 | 15 |
| Child care and preschools | 41 | #258 of 387 | 23 | 4.6 | $890K | 89 | 31 |
| Real estate | 39 | #287 of 387 | 145 | 29.1 | Index only | 111 | 116 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 38 | #298 of 387 | 115 | 23.1 | Index only | 111 | 70 |
| House cleaning | 34 | #306 of 375 | 12 | 2.4 | $5.1M | 80 | 28 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 34 | #318 of 387 | 66 | 13.2 | $2.9M | 79 | 37 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 34 | #330 of 387 | 90 | 18.1 | $495K | 75 | 32 |
| Gyms | 30 | #349 of 387 | 57 | 11.4 | $782K | 60 | 17 |
| Pet stores | 27 | #343 of 382 | 15 | 3.0 | $2.8M | 62 | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 27 | #362 of 386 | 58 | 11.6 | $1.2M | 51 | 34 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 26 | #361 of 387 | 58 | 11.6 | $1.1M | 63 | 84 |
| Property management | 24 | #367 of 374 | 24 | 4.8 | Index only | 52 | 27 |
| Funeral homes | 23 | #345 of 377 | 13 | 2.6 | $466K | 69 | 9 |
| Pet businesses | 23 | #365 of 387 | 77 | 15.4 | $544K | 62 | 41 |
| Veterinarians | 20 | #370 of 384 | 36 | 7.2 | $1.2M | 43 | 27 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 20 | #371 of 385 | 41 | 8.2 | $1.5M | 51 | 56 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.4 | $27.8M | Too few | 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Ames metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $55.6M | $1,116 | 116 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $140.3M | $2,815 | 108 |
| Food away from home | $192.9M | $3,870 | 95 |
| Groceries | $299.6M | $6,012 | 95 |
| Personal care products and services | $49.1M | $986 | 98 |
| Child care and other personal services | $20.5M | $411 | 71 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $44.6M | $894 | 91 |
| Medical and dental services | $70.2M | $1,409 | 109 |
| Pets | $41.9M | $841 | 92 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $98.1M | $1,968 | 96 |
| Vehicle insurance | $84.9M | $1,704 | 87 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $134.7M | $2,703 | 90 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $61.2M | $1,228 | 87 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $696.7M | $13,978 | 84 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Ames metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 128,090+2.2% since 2020
- Households
- 49,840
- Median age
- 35.1
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 61%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 1,143 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 111
- Median household income
- $73,127+24.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $97,543
- Median home value
- $246,300
- Jobs located here
- 57,558
- Daytime population
- 130,790Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Ames metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Ames metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Ames metro area 2
- Story County, IA100,466 people
- Boone County, IA26,668 people
Other markets based in Iowa 12
- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area731,120 people
- Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area381,503 people
- Cedar Rapids, IA metro area276,624 people
- Iowa City, IA metro area179,200 people
- Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area168,637 people
- Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metro area144,682 people
- Dubuque, IA metro area99,030 people
- Mason City, IA area49,982 people
- Clinton, IA area46,268 people
- Burlington, IA-IL area44,680 people
- Muscatine, IA area42,559 people
- Marshalltown, IA area40,114 people
Questions
How fast is the Ames, IA metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Ames metro area at 128,090 people in 2025, up 2.2% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 49,840 households. Median household income rose 24.8% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Ames, IA metro area spend?
Households in the Ames metro area spend about $696.7M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $299.6M on groceries and $192.9M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Ames metro area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 116, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (71).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Ames, IA metro area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Ames metro area are for primary care and pediatric clinics (84), dentists and orthodontists (80) and medical and dental practices (80). The Ames metro area ranks #12 of 387 scored metro areas for primary care and pediatric clinics.
How does the Ames, IA metro area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Ames metro area is $73,127 a year, 9% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 2.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $246,300, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Ames metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for veterinarians (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for primary care and pediatric clinics (64% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 53 of the 56 business types have a score in the Ames metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Ames metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Ames metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Ames metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.