Last updated August 9, 2026

Average Rent in Ames, IA & Rent Trends

Rent prices and market trends across 11 apartment communities in Ames, IA. Updated daily.

Area All Areas

Ames 50010 50014

Beds All Bedrooms Studio 1 Bed 2 Bed 3 Bed 4 Bed

Market Average

$1,043/mo

▼ 9% from last month

Lowest Available

$600/mo

cheapest unit on market

Communities

tracked daily

Units Listed

available now

Price Cuts This Week in Ames, IA

15 listed units across 3 buildings in Ames, IA dropped their asking rent in the past 7 days, an average cut of $61/mo. These are the largest cuts, tracked unit by unit with daily price checks.

Apartment	Unit	Last Week	Now	Cut
South Meadow	Unit 282	$990	$895	$95
South Meadow	Unit 284	$990	$895	$95
South Meadow	Unit 286	$990	$895	$95
South Meadow	Unit 361	$1,485	$1,395	$90
South Meadow	Unit 363	$1,485	$1,395	$90
South Meadow	Unit 149	$925	$850	$75
South Meadow	Unit 105	$950	$895	$55
South Meadow	Unit 107	$950	$895	$55

See today's prices on all 54 listed units

Rent by Neighborhood in Ames, IA

Compare average rent across Ames, IA neighborhoods. Click any area to see detailed trends.

Neighborhood	Avg Rent	30d Change	From	Properties	Units
Ames 50014	$1,238	▼ $97	$600	3	10
Ames 50010	$998	▲ $102	$695	8	44

Is Rent Going Up or Down in Ames, IA?

As of August 2026, the average rent in Ames, IA is $1,043 per month across 11 apartment communities and 54 available units. Rents have decreased $112 (9%) over the past month.

The most affordable option is Campus Properties starting at $600/mo. By unit type, a studio averages $747/mo, a 1-bedroom averages $855/mo, a 2-bedroom averages $1,042/mo, a 3-bedroom averages $1,288/mo, a 4-bedroom averages $1,660/mo.

Prices range from $600 to $2,400 per month. The most common price point is the $800 range, where 27 units are currently listed.

Ames, IA Rent Price History

Timeframe

View as table

Month	Avg Rent	Change	Properties
July 2026	$1,103	-	12
August 2026	$1,112	+$9	11

The trend line and monthly averages track each building's average listed price, recorded daily with outliers trimmed. The current month is a month-to-date figure, so it can sit above or below today's live market average shown at the top of this page.

Average Rent by Bedroom

Rent Price Distribution

Rent by Bedroom Type in Ames, IA

Studio

$747

from $695 · 2 units

1 Bed

$855

from $795 · 21 units

2 Bed

$1,042

from $800 · 20 units

3 Bed

$1,288

from $999 · 6 units

4 Bed

$1,660

from $600 · 5 units

Rent Prices by Apartment in Ames, IA

Property	Starting at	Average	Units	Rating
Campus Properties	$600/mo	$1,525/mo	4	4.9
Riverbirch	$695/mo	$822/mo	6	4.4
South Oak	$795/mo	$848/mo	4	3.7
West Towne	$799/mo	$1,075/mo	2	4.3
Friedrich Properties	$800/mo	$1,000/mo	4	4
South Meadow	$800/mo	$932/mo	17	4.1
Maple Glen	$860/mo	$989/mo	4	4.1
Gateway Hills	$995/mo	$1,033/mo	4	4.6
South View	$1,060/mo	$1,083/mo	4	4.3
Prairie West Apartments	$1,265/mo	$1,392/mo	3	3.7
The Phoenix	$1,350/mo	$1,650/mo	2	5

Frequently Asked Questions About Rent in Ames, IA

What is the average rent in Ames, IA?

The average rent in Ames, IA is $1,043 per month as of August 2026, based on 54 units across 11 apartment communities.

Is rent going up or down in Ames, IA?

Rent in Ames, IA has decreased $112 (9%) over the past month. The current average is $1,043/mo.

What is the cheapest apartment in Ames, IA?

The most affordable apartment in Ames, IA is Campus Properties with units starting at $600/mo.

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Ames, IA?

A 1-bedroom apartment in Ames, IA averages $855/mo, with prices starting at $795/mo across 21 available units.

How many apartments are available in Ames, IA?

There are 54 units available across 11 apartment communities in Ames, IA.

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Ames, IA?

Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Minimum to afford average rent

$42,000/year

Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $1,043/mo.

Comfortable income

$50,000/year

Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.

To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($600/mo), you need to earn at least $24,000/year.

Cost of living in Ames, IA

We only have live rent data for Ames, IA so far. The full cost of living breakdown (utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare) is coming soon.

Category	Monthly estimate	Source
Rent (market average)	$1,043	daily refresh
Estimated total	$1,043/mo	$12,516/year

Methodology

Rent data

Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.

Cost of living

Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.

Salary to live comfortably

Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Demographic figures

Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.

Cost of living and demographic figures are refreshed annually.

Iowa Rent Trends

Compare rent across all Iowa cities

Explore Ames, IA on Map

See neighborhoods and rent data interactively

US-wide rent comparison

See how Ames, IA rents stack up against the national median