Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$277,302+2.6% YoY · prices are rising
Market right nowBalanced, leaning buyersMore homes for sale than last year, 26% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$60,113About 0.8× the local median income ($72,187): affordable for a typical household
Days on market59 daysAbout the same pace as a year ago
Next 12 months+2.2%Zillow expects prices to rise slightly
The typical home in Ames, IA is worth $277,302, up 2.6% from a year ago. That is well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $249,066, so the area is 11.3% overvalued. It is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 59 days to sell, listings are up 23% from a year ago, 26% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 2.2% over the next year. A household needs about $60,113 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $72,187. Typical rent is $1,162 a month, or $1,504 for a house. In the latest IRS figures, 558 more people moved out than in.
Home value over time
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.
Prices and affordability
Typical home value
$277,302
Change in 1 year
+2.6%
Overvalued %
+11.3%
Show 7 more
Fair home value
$249,066
Change in 5 years
+22.0%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months
+2.2%
Home value to income
3.8×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$1,503
Income needed to afford it
$60,113
Property tax rate
1.39%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$1,162
Typical rent for houses
$1,504
Price-to-rent ratio
19.9×
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HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,041
Gross rental yield
5.03%
Cap rate (estimate)
3.27%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+23.1%
Days on market
59
Listings with a price cut
25.5%
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Homes for sale
394
Pending sales per 100 listings
41
Asking price per sq ft
$208
People and jobs
Median household income
$72,187
Population change (1 year)
−0.0%
Unemployment rate
4.1%
Show 4 more
Population
128,090
Income adjusted for cost of living
$81,292
Net moves in (IRS)
−558
Cost of living (US = 100)
88.8
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
7.2
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
60.3
Unhealthy air days a year
0
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Flood risk score
60.7
Wildfire risk score
27.3
Walkability (1 to 20)
7.5
Road, rail and air noise
53 dB
Questions people ask
Is Ames, IA overvalued?
Home prices in Ames, IA are well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $249,066, so the area is 11.3% overvalued.
Is Ames, IA a buyer's or seller's market?
Ames, IA is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 59 days to sell, listings are up 23% from a year ago, 26% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Ames, IA?
Home values in Ames, IA are up 2.6% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +2.2%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Ames, IA?
A household needs about $60,113 a year to afford the typical home in Ames, IA at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $72,187.