Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on September 20, 2026
Average rent in
Ames, IA
Average rent in
Last updated on September 20, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Ames, IA rent fell 10.1% year over year, with a current median of $970/month. Renters today are paying $195 less per month on average than last year, continuing a decline from the peak of $1,150/month in November 2025.
Compared to national trends
Ames sits 49.0% more affordable than the $1,900/month national median, offering substantial value for renters despite a smaller inventory of 132 total rentals.
Rent ranges by bedroom
Studios in Ames rent for about $550/month, 1-bedrooms around $925/month, 2-bedrooms at $948/month, and 3-bedrooms at $1,098/month, with 4+ bedrooms at $962/month. These figures reflect the range across bedroom types in the city.
Neighborhood spotlight
South Ames Business saw rents fall 54.9% year over year to $845/month across 13 rentals, a sharper decline than the citywide 10.1% drop. South Campus Area also cooled with a 46.0% decline to $665/month, showing localized softness in these neighborhoods.
Median rent
Median rent in Ames
$970/mo
10%vs previous year
The average rent in Ames is $970 per month as of September 2026. This is 49% below the national average rent, or $930 less per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Ames
132
for rent on Zumper.com as of September 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Ames rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Ames, IA
Average rent prices in Ames have decreased by 3% over the last month and have decreased by 10% since last year.
Rent trends
Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.
Compare rent prices in
Ames, IA
Rent prices in Ames vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Ames is $979, whereas a house costs $1,795. 1-bedroom apartments in Ames run $919 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $975.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $550 |  1% | 12% | |
1 bedroom | $925 | 5% | 8% | |
2 bedroom | $947 | 5% | 16% | |
3 bedroom | $1,097 | 13% | 32% | |
4 bedroom | $962 | 2% | 20% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Downtown Ames | $954 | |
Edwards | $875 | |
Ferndale Furman | $952 | |
Northeast | $952 | |
Ontario | $999 | |
Sawyer West | $1,100 | |
Somer Street | $1,200 | |
South Campus Area | $664 | |
State Ave | $995 | |
Westside N A | $907 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $979 | 1% | No Change | |
Condos | $975 | 4% | No Change | |
Houses | $1,795 | 2% | No Change | |
Rooms | $609 | 6% | - |
Studio
Average rent
$550
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
12%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$925
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
8%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$947
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
16%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$1,097
Last 30 days
13%
Last year
32%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$962
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
20%
South Campus Area
Average rent
$664
Sawyer West
Average rent
$1,100
Edwards
Average rent
$875
Somer Street
Average rent
$1,200
Westside N A
Average rent
$907
Downtown Ames
Average rent
$954
State Ave
Average rent
$995
Ferndale Furman
Average rent
$952
Northeast
Average rent
$952
Ontario
Average rent
$999
Apartments
Average rent
$979
Last 30 days
1%
Condos
Average rent
$975
Last 30 days
4%
Houses
Average rent
$1,795
Last 30 days
2%
Rooms
Average rent
$609
Last 30 days
6%
The table above reflects average rent prices in Ames, IA, broken down by the number of bedrooms, neighborhoods, and property types. The availability of data for each category is dependent on market inventory and will adjust depending on your selected filters.
How does rent in Ames, IA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Ames and Ankeny by all bedroom counts and property types.
Ames
49%lower than the national median
29%lower than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Ames, IA is 29% lower than the median rent in Ankeny, IA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
Cost of living in Ames, IA
Explore the cost of essential expenses, and then use our rent calculator to find out how much rent you can afford.
Expenses accrued by most renters | Average cost compared to national average |
|---|---|
| Goods & Services | 3% lower |
| Groceries | 3% lower |
| Health | 3% higher |
| Housing | 14% lower |
| Transportation | 5% lower |
| Utilities | 5% lower |
Discover rentals in Ames, IA
1d ago
210 Gray Ave, Ames, IA 50014
1–4 beds
1–3 baths
$440–$1,195
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in Ames
233 Sheldon Ave, Ames, IA 50014
1 bed
0 baths
$445
Apartment for rent
2d ago
122 Hayward Ave, Ames, IA 50014
2–4 beds
2–4 baths
$500–$2,680
Apartment for rent
1d ago
121 Beach Ave, Ames, IA 50014
1–4 beds
1–3 baths
$524–$1,195
Apartment for rent
1d ago
South Campus Area apartment for rent in Ames
4 beds
2 baths
$2,650
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Ames
4 beds
3 baths
$2,600
House for rent
5d+ ago
Edwards house for rent in Ames
4 beds
2.5 baths
$2,500
House for rent
Available Aug 24
5d+ ago
Northridge house for rent in Ames
4 beds
3.5 baths
$2,500
House for rent
1d ago
4536 Twain Cir, Ames, IA 50014
4 beds
2 baths
$1,600
Apartment for rent
1d ago
4515 Todd Dr, Ames, IA 50014
2 beds
2 baths
$1,350
Apartment for rent
1d ago
1428 Walton Dr, Ames, IA 50014
1 bed
1 bath
$1,015
Apartment for rent
2d ago
4301 Lincoln Swing, Ames, IA 50014
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$699–$975
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
2505 Jensen Ave, Ames, IA 50010
1–2 beds
1 bath
$690–$795
Apartment for rent
2d ago
4301 Lincoln Swing, Ames, IA 50014
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$699–$975
Apartment for rent
3d ago
4112 Westbrook Dr, Ames, IA 50014
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$785–$945
Apartment for rent
1d ago
321 Stanton Ave, Ames, IA 50014
2–3 beds
1 bath
$950–$1,150
Apartment for rent
1d ago
246 Hyland Ave, Ames, IA 50014
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$800–$1,525
Apartment for rent
1d ago
908 Douglas Ave, Ames, IA 50010
3 beds
2 baths
$1,240
Apartment for rent
2d ago
3219 Roy Key Ave, Ames, IA 50010
1 bed
1 bath
$815
Apartment for rent
2d ago
4301 Lincoln Swing, Ames, IA 50014
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$699–$975
Apartment for rent
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Frequently asked questions for Ames, IA
Quick answers to common questions about the Ames rental market.
How much is rent in Ames?
The average rent in Ames is $970 per month as of September 19, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Ames?
Average rent prices in Ames have decreased by 3% over the last month and have decreased by 10% since last year.
How does Ames rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Ames is 49% below the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $930 less per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Ames?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Ames are South Campus Area ($664/mo), Edwards ($875/mo), and Westside N A ($907/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Ames?
To comfortably afford rent in Ames, you'd need to earn approximately $39,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Ames?
April offers the lowest rents in Ames with roughly a 10% difference compared to November's peak prices. December and September are the least competitive months with lower overall demand.
Methodology
Rent prices are based on Zumper's rental listings from the past 30 days. Median rent is calculated across all available listings and property types on the platform. If you filter the page by bedroom count or property type, the pricing throughout the page will update automatically to reflect that segment of the rental market.
Household and population data come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cost-of-living data is sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index (COLI).