Question 1

What is the cost of living in Ames, IA?

Accepted Answer

Ames, IA's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parity) is 88.83, where 100 equals the U.S. average. That means everyday goods, services, and housing cost about 11.2% less than the national average. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $1,153/month.

Question 2

What is the average salary in Ames, IA?

Accepted Answer

Across the 100 BLS-tracked occupation categories with published data in Ames, IA, the average median wage is $91,767. The single highest-paying occupation here is Family Medicine Physicians at $248,000/year (BLS OEWS).

Question 3

What are the highest-paying jobs in Ames?

Accepted Answer

Based on BLS OEWS data, the top-paying occupations in Ames, IA are: 1) Family Medicine Physicians at $248,000; 2) Chief Executives at $206,090; 3) Dentists, General at $163,950; 4) Pharmacists at $139,690; 5) Managers, All Other at $138,110. Click any occupation above to see the full wage breakdown (10th to 90th percentile).

Question 4

How much does it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Ames?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a 2-bedroom unit in Ames, IA is $1,153/month. FMR is the rent level HUD uses to administer housing assistance and reflects the 40th percentile of standard-quality rentals, updated annually.

Question 5

Where does AffordMap's Ames data come from?

Accepted Answer

Salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPP). Rent comes from HUD Fair Market Rents. All three are federal datasets, updated annually, and free to use. AffordMap pairs them so you can see what a salary actually buys after local costs.

Rank	Occupation	Category	Median salary	Hourly
81	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	Sales	$69K	$33.02/hr
82	Training and Development Specialists	Business & Finance	$68K	$32.62/hr
83	Industrial Machinery Mechanics	Repair & Maintenance	$67K	$32.33/hr
84	Radiologic Technologists and Technicians	Healthcare	$67K	$32.09/hr
85	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers	Office & Admin	$66K	$31.93/hr
86	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	Healthcare	$66K	$31.55/hr
87	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers	Repair & Maintenance	$65K	$31.48/hr
88	Soil and Plant Scientists	Science	$65K	$31.29/hr
89	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other	Science	$65K	$31.26/hr
90	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines	Repair & Maintenance	$65K	$31.22/hr

Top Paying Jobs in Ames, IA

Highest paying careers in Ames

Affordability snapshot: Ames