Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on November 4, 2026
Average rent in
Ames, IA
Average rent in
Last updated on November 4, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Ames, IA rent slipped 11.8% year over year, with a current median of $1,050/month. Renters today are paying $140 less per month on average than last year, despite a 4.3% month-over-month increase in October 2026.
Compared to national trends
Ames sits 44.7% more affordable than the $1,900/month national median, with 226 total rentals offering a smaller but accessible market for renters seeking value.
Price ranges
Studios in Ames run around $718/month, 1-bedrooms around $865/month, 2-bedrooms around $975/month, 3-bedrooms around $1,300/month, and 4+ bedrooms around $1,800/month. Apartments make up 61.6% of rentals, while houses rent for a median of $1,800/month.
Neighborhood spotlight
Oak Riverside rents fell 54.9% year over year to $710/month across 13 rentals. This decline is much steeper than the citywide drop of 11.8%, showing a localized cooldown in this neighborhood.
Median rent
Median rent in Ames
$1,050/mo
12%vs previous year
The average rent in Ames is $1,050 per month as of October 2026. This is 45% below the national average rent, or $850 less per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Ames
226
for rent on Zumper.com as of October 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Ames rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Ames, IA
Average rent prices in Ames have increased by 4% over the last month and have decreased by 12% 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 $992, whereas a house costs $1,800. 1-bedroom apartments in Ames run $867 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $995.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $717 | No Change | 2% | |
1 bedroom | $865 | 3% |  3% | |
2 bedroom | $975 | 4% | 11% | |
3 bedroom | $1,300 | 6% | 13% | |
4 bedroom | $1,800 | 14% | 14% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
College Creek | $1,032 | |
Edwards | $875 | |
Ferndale Furman | $797 | |
Oak Riverside | $710 | |
Sawyer West | $1,002 | |
Somer Street | $1,200 | |
South Ames Business | $825 | |
South Campus Area | $750 | |
State Ave | $1,687 | |
Westside N A | $1,165 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $992 | 2% | 13% | |
Condos | $950 | 24% | - | |
Houses | $1,800 | 3% | 20% | |
Rooms | $609 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$717
Last year
2%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$865
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
3%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$975
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
11%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$1,300
Last 30 days
6%
Last year
13%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$1,800
Last 30 days
14%
Last year
14%
South Campus Area
Average rent
$750
Sawyer West
Average rent
$1,002
Edwards
Average rent
$875
Westside N A
Average rent
$1,165
South Ames Business
Average rent
$825
Somer Street
Average rent
$1,200
Oak Riverside
Average rent
$710
State Ave
Average rent
$1,687
Ferndale Furman
Average rent
$797
College Creek
Average rent
$1,032
Apartments
Average rent
$992
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
13%
Condos
Average rent
$950
Last 30 days
24%
Houses
Average rent
$1,800
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
20%
Rooms
Average rent
$609
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
45%lower than the national median
26%lower than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Ames, IA is 26% 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
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in Ames
233 Sheldon Ave, Ames, IA 50014
1 bed
0 baths
$445
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
121 Beach Ave, Ames, IA 50014
1–4 beds
1–3 baths
$524–$1,195
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
412 Welch Ave, Ames, IA 50014
4 beds
4 baths
$550
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
4d ago
205 Beach Ave, Ames, IA 50014
1–4 beds
1–3 baths
$579–$1,195
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
1d ago
Apartment for rent in Ames
248 Campus Ave, Ames, IA 50014
3 beds
2 baths
$3,450
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Ames
5820 Allerton Dr, Ames, IA 50014
4 beds
2.5 baths
$2,700
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.House for rent
Available Nov 1
5d+ ago
Somer Street townhouse for rent in Ames
3 beds
2.5 baths
$2,500
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.House for rent
2d ago
2005 Aikman Dr, Ames, IA 50010
3 beds
2 baths
$2,490
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
45m ago
4301 Lincoln Swing, Ames, IA 50014
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$699–$975
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
13h ago
1209 N Dakota Ave, Ames, IA 50014
3 beds
2 baths
$999–$1,249
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
19h ago
4536 Twain Cir, Ames, IA 50014
4 beds
2 baths
$1,350
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
1d ago
4505 Todd Dr, Ames, IA 50014
2 beds
2 baths
$1,245
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
13h ago
Verified
2505 Jensen Ave, Ames, IA 50010
1–2 beds
1 bath
$675–$795
Additional fees apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Based on information provided by the property, additional fees may apply, but no required monthly charges have been confirmed. See all fees for details.Apartment for rent
45m ago
4301 Lincoln Swing, Ames, IA 50014
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$699–$975
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
21h ago
1401 N Dakota Ave, Ames, IA 50014
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$850–$1,215
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
13h ago
1209 N Dakota Ave, Ames, IA 50014
3 beds
2 baths
$999–$1,249
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
13h ago
1209 N Dakota Ave, Ames, IA 50014
3 beds
2 baths
$999
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
19h ago
4536 Twain Cir, Ames, IA 50014
4 beds
2 baths
$1,350
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
1d ago
2300 Mortensen Rd, Ames, IA 50014
1–2 beds
1 bath
$820–$1,010
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
1d ago
Apartment for rent in Ames
4901 Todd Dr, Ames, IA 50014
1–2 beds
1 bath
$780–$1,015
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.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 $1,050 per month as of October 31, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Ames?
Average rent prices in Ames have increased by 4% over the last month and have decreased by 12% since last year.
How does Ames rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Ames is 45% below the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $850 less per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Ames?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Ames are Oak Riverside ($710/mo), South Campus Area ($750/mo), and Ferndale Furman ($797/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Ames?
To comfortably afford rent in Ames, you'd need to earn approximately $42,000/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).