Signals
Ames
Boone
Opportunity
60 · Top 42%
vs63 · Top 35%
Growth
50 · Top 50%
vs27 · Bottom 14%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
78 · Bottom 45%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
61 · Top 38%
vs54 · Top 47%
Access
82 · Bottom 24%
vs77 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 24%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Ames | Boone | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 67,669 | 12,424 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,991 | $69,222 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,343 | $36,117 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,399/sq mi | 1,359/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $277,400 | $173,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,023 | $831 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.1% | 71.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.8% | 24.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.5% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 104 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -11.1% | -93.1% | 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 | 34 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 21.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 23.3 | 41.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.65 | 13.44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 69.7% | 63.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 71.4% | 70.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.2% | 33.1% | 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
Ames
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado.
Boone
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Full profiles: Ames, IA · Boone, IA · How this is calculated: methodology