50010 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
50014
50010
Opportunity
59 · Top 42%
vs60 · Top 39%
Growth
48 · Bottom 45%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 47%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 32%
vs90 · Top 32%
Schools
73 · Top 23%
vs63 · Top 35%
Access
78 · Bottom 19%
vs81 · Bottom 23%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 26%
vs55 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | 50014 | 50010 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,958 | 33,799 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,731 | $65,398 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,198 | $38,398 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 608/sq mi | 561/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $336,800 | $253,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,065 | $973 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 36.6% | 53.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.1% | 62.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 29.2% | 17.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 104 | 104 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -11.1% | -11.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.9" | 35.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.4 min | 17.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 23.3 | 28.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.40 | 14.77 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 71.6% | 68.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 73.2% | 69.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.1% | 35.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
50014
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado.
50010
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado.
Full profiles: 50014 — Ames, IA · 50010 — Ames, IA · How this is calculated: methodology