Ames, IA housing market
Typical home value
$302K
▲ 2.6% 1 yr
Typical rent
$1,240/mo
▲ 1.7% 1 yr
Gross rent yield
4.9%
U.S. 6.3%
5-year home value change
+17%
U.S. +20%
Key takeaways
- 1The typical home in Ames is worth $301,900, up 2.6% over the past year and up 17% over five years.
- 2Typical rent is $1,240 a month (+1.7% YoY), a gross rent yield of 4.9% (below the Ames, IA metro's 5.0%).
- 3With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest on the typical home is about $1,659/mo, $419 more than typical rent.
- 4Zillow forecasts the Ames, IA metro's home values to change +2.2% over the next 12 months.
Market temperature (Ames, IA metro)
Buyer's market
Buyer'sNeutralSeller's
Zillow Market Heat Index: 30/100, #442 hottest of 546 metros. Below 44 favors buyers; above 55 favors sellers.
Home values and rent
Source: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI and market activity data).
How Ames compares
| Measure | Ames | Ames, IA metro | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $301,900 | $277,302 | $366,157 |
| Home value, 1-yr change | +2.6% | +2.6% | +1.2% |
| Typical rent | $1,240 | $1,162 | $1,932 |
| Rent, 1-yr change | +1.7% | +2.7% | +2.7% |
| Gross rent yield | 4.9% | 5.0% | 6.3% |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 20.3 | 19.9 | 15.8 |
| Mortgage P&I, typical home | $1,659 | $1,524 | $2,012 |
Run the numbers
Rental property calculator
Cash flow on a typical Ames rental, pre-filled.
Rent vs buy in Ames
Which costs less over the years you'll stay.
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment on a $302K home.
City figures are Zillow's typical home value (ZHVI) and observed rent (ZORI). Gross yield is before expenses. Data refreshed Oct 26, 2026.