County profile · Iowa
Story County, IA market data
How Story County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 101,291
- +2.7% since 2020
- Households
- 38,904
- Median household income
- $69,685
- +22.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $258,700
- Jobs located here
- 47,997
- Highest market score
- 83
- Convenience stores, #114 of 2,261 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Story County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Story County. 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
Story County has an estimated 101,291 people and 38,904 households. Population estimates show Story County grew 2.7% from 2020 to 2025, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Story County is $69,685, 14% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 22.8%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Story County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 112, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (71).
Of the business types scored in Story County, convenience stores (83), primary care and pediatric clinics (80) and barbershops (78) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For convenience stores, that ranks #114 of 2,261 scored counties.
Story County is part of the Ames metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for veterinarians (2.3 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for spas and skin care studios (50% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Story County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Story County with other counties 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 counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convenience stores | 83 | #114 of 2,261 | 16 | 4.1 | $14.5M | 184 | 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 80 | #88 of 1,656 | 8 | 2.1 | $6.8M | 382 | 37 |
| Barbershops | 78 | #87 of 1,356 | 9 | 2.3 | $4.2M | 224 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 77 | #240 of 2,402 | 53 | 13.6 | $4.4M | 129 | 18 |
| Spas and skin care | 75 | #120 of 1,769 | 22 | 5.7 | $1.7M | 197 | 6 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 75 | #125 of 1,302 | 14 | 3.6 | $3.9M | 124 | 5 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 71 | #199 of 1,461 | 9 | 2.3 | $3.6M | 141 | 7 |
| Gas stations | 71 | #362 of 2,358 | 30 | 7.7 | $3.5M | 147 | 29 |
| Nail salons | 70 | #150 of 1,328 | 15 | 3.9 | $2.5M | 152 | 6 |
| Physical therapy | 70 | #227 of 1,422 | 18 | 4.6 | $3M | 126 | 12 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 69 | #295 of 1,886 | 34 | 8.7 | $1.6M | 163 | 27 |
| Tire shops | 69 | #309 of 1,530 | 14 | 3.6 | $3M | 119 | 6 |
| Roofing and gutters | 68 | #186 of 1,177 | 11 | 2.8 | $9.5M | 112 | 3 |
| Electricians | 68 | #192 of 1,160 | 7 | 1.8 | $14.9M | 124 | 18 |
| Auto repair shops | 66 | #495 of 2,378 | 78 | 20.0 | $537K | 121 | 38 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 64 | #345 of 1,327 | 12 | 3.1 | $3.5M | 113 | 10 |
| Auto repair and car care | 63 | #625 of 2,401 | 135 | 34.7 | $310K | 115 | 57 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 62 | #560 of 2,385 | 112 | 28.8 | $339K | 159 | 42 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 62 | #664 of 2,394 | 223 | 57.3 | $244K | 160 | 107 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 61 | #228 of 887 | 6 | 1.5 | Index only | 231 | Under 3 |
| Home repair trades | 61 | #531 of 2,057 | 39 | 10.0 | $2.7M | 110 | 59 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 60 | #533 of 1,889 | 24 | 6.2 | $6.2M | 150 | 32 |
| Hair salons | 60 | #669 of 2,339 | 65 | 16.7 | $584K | 136 | 29 |
| Car washes and detailing | 59 | #481 of 1,451 | 15 | 3.9 | $2.8M | 111 | 8 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 57 | #464 of 1,334 | 16 | 4.1 | $2.2M | 107 | 12 |
| Grocery stores | 55 | #852 of 2,070 | 29 | 7.5 | $8M | 86 | 15 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 55 | #963 of 2,405 | 213 | 54.8 | $700K | 105 | 64 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 54 | #701 of 1,707 | 21 | 5.4 | $5M | 105 | 38 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 54 | #961 of 2,210 | 74 | 19.0 | $1M | 117 | 30 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 50 | #1,056 of 2,087 | 59 | 15.2 | $1.3M | 102 | 30 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 49 | #396 of 777 | 8 | 2.1 | $4.3M | 106 | 15 |
| Funeral homes | 49 | #723 of 1,472 | 8 | 2.1 | $554K | 82 | 6 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 49 | #1,186 of 2,222 | 57 | 14.7 | $2.6M | 86 | 81 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 49 | #1,238 of 2,405 | 407 | 104.6 | $366K | 99 | 175 |
| Dry cleaners | 46 | #297 of 507 | 5 | 1.3 | $15.2M | 97 | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 43 | #1,009 of 1,611 | 21 | 5.4 | $760K | 76 | 27 |
| Pizza | 43 | #1,329 of 2,090 | 46 | 11.8 | $3.2M | 64 | 81 |
| Insurance agencies | 40 | #1,457 of 2,272 | 50 | 12.9 | $1.3M | 102 | 36 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 39 | #1,527 of 2,088 | 70 | 18.0 | $494K | 75 | 27 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 38 | #1,075 of 1,493 | 25 | 6.4 | $1.9M | 65 | 40 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 38 | #1,487 of 2,063 | 56 | 14.4 | $2.7M | 72 | 29 |
| Gyms | 36 | #1,363 of 1,792 | 46 | 11.8 | $751K | 58 | 15 |
| Pet businesses | 36 | #1,687 of 2,200 | 60 | 15.4 | $540K | 61 | 31 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 35 | #1,424 of 1,771 | 39 | 10.0 | $1.2M | 72 | 63 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 35 | #1,849 of 2,176 | 92 | 23.6 | Index only | 108 | 54 |
| Real estate | 33 | #1,973 of 2,229 | 121 | 31.1 | Index only | 103 | 91 |
| Chiropractors | 32 | #1,237 of 1,490 | 45 | 11.6 | $1.2M | 50 | 26 |
| House cleaning | 31 | #741 of 847 | 11 | 2.8 | $4.3M | 67 | 23 |
| Pet stores | 31 | #769 of 974 | 12 | 3.1 | $2.7M | 60 | 5 |
| Veterinarians | 28 | #1,258 of 1,485 | 30 | 7.7 | $1.1M | 40 | 19 |
| Property management | 25 | #846 of 910 | 23 | 5.9 | Index only | 42 | 22 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.0 | $19M | 152 | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.8 | $15.8M | 155 | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.5 | $20.9M | 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 Story County
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 | $41.9M | $1,076 | 112 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $105.5M | $2,712 | 104 |
| Food away from home | $149M | $3,831 | 94 |
| Groceries | $232.2M | $5,967 | 94 |
| Personal care products and services | $38M | $976 | 97 |
| Child care and other personal services | $16M | $410 | 71 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $34.5M | $888 | 90 |
| Medical and dental services | $54.4M | $1,398 | 109 |
| Pets | $32.4M | $832 | 92 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $76.2M | $1,958 | 95 |
| Vehicle insurance | $63.8M | $1,640 | 84 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $104.6M | $2,689 | 89 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $47.5M | $1,220 | 86 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $540.5M | $13,893 | 83 |
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 Story County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 101,291+2.7% since 2020
- Households
- 38,904
- Median age
- 33.1
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 56%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 573 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 175
- Median household income
- $69,685+22.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $96,918
- Median home value
- $258,700
- Jobs located here
- 47,997
- Daytime population
- 107,341Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Story County?
These figures cover the whole county. 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 Story County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
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Questions
How fast is Story County, IA growing?
Population estimates put Story County at 101,291 people in 2025, up 2.7% since 2020, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 38,904 households. Median household income rose 22.8% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Story County, IA spend?
Households in Story County spend about $540.5M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $232.2M on groceries and $149M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Story County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 112, 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 Story County, IA?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Story County are for convenience stores (83), primary care and pediatric clinics (80) and barbershops (78). Story County ranks #114 of 2,261 scored counties for convenience stores.
How does Story County, IA compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Story County is $69,685 a year, 14% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 2.7% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $258,700, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Story County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for veterinarians (2.3 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for spas and skin care studios (50% 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. 51 of the 56 business types have a score in Story County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Story County. 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.
All markets in Iowa · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Story County?
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 Story County. 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.