Janesville-Beloit receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ames
Janesville-Beloit
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs72 · Top 20%
Growth
42 · Bottom 36%
vs49 · Bottom 49%
Climate
57 · Bottom 16%
vs57 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 38%
vs69 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 45%
vs99 · Top 31%
Access
79 · Top 46%
vs81 · Top 41%
Economic stability
65 · Top 33%
vs88 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Ames | Janesville-Beloit | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 127,134 | 164,350 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,127 | $75,673 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,347 | $38,536 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 111/sq mi | 229/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $246,300 | $231,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,000 | $1,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.9% | 71.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.9% | 25.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.5% | 9.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 249 | 417 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -41.8% | -5.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.9" | 37.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.9 | 40.3 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Ames
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Janesville-Beloit
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Ames
67
Your Score
66
Area Score
Janesville-Beloit
74
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Ames, IA Metro Area · Janesville-Beloit, WI Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology