Income & Economy in Ames, IA
Household income, poverty rates, employment, and economic data — 2023 ACS Data
Income Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Median Household Income
$60,102
-18% vs national
Per Capita Income
$33,314
-10% vs national
Poverty Rate
25.9%
+91% vs national
Gini Index
0.4935
0 = perfect equality
Unemployment
6.4%
+23% vs national
SNAP Recipients
4.3%
of households
How Ames Compares
Source: Census ACS (2023)Ames vs Similar Cities
Source: Census ACS (2023)Compared to cities with 50,000 - 100,000 residents. Ames is highlighted.
Median Household Income
Per Capita Income
Poverty Rate
Unemployment Rate
Where Do You Stack Up?
Enter your household income to see how you compare to other households in Ames. The median household income here is $60,102.
Income Distribution
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Employment Snapshot
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Unemployment Rate
6.4%
+77% vs IA avg
Labor Force
38,289
Employed
35,793
Mean Commute
14 min
How People Get to Work
Source: Census ACS (2023)Employment by Sector
Source: Census ACS (2023)Education & Workforce
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Bachelor's Degree+
29.0%
of adults 25+
High School Diploma+
34.2%
of adults 25+
Median Age
23.3
Work from Home
11.3%
of workers
The median household income in Ames, IA is $60,102, which is 17.9% below the national average of $73,224. Per capita income is $33,314. The poverty rate of 25.9% is higher than the IA state average of 10.7%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.4935, where 0 represents perfect equality and 1 represents maximum inequality. The unemployment rate is 6.4%, compared to the state average of 3.6%. 29.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The average commute time is 14 minutes, with 11.3% working from home.