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Centrally and conveniently located in the heart of the Midwest and Iowa, along Highway 30 and Interstate 35 in Iowa's Cultivation Corridor, the Ames MSA is known for its healthy, stable economy, flourishing cultural environment, and the world renowned university.
The Ames MSA is an attractive location for new businesses to locate and for existing businesses to expand. World class companies including 3M, Barilla, BASF, Boehringer Ingelheim, Danfoss, Syngenta, and many others are located in Story County. The community's commitment to excellence is contagious.
Home of Iowa State University with student enrollment around 36,500 (ISU, 2018). Ames is vital to the Cultivation Corridor, the Ames-Des Moines Corridor with an estimated population of 764,300.
Demographics
Population
127,954
Total Regional Employment
71,771
Median Household Income
$63.8K
5-yr. population change comparison: Ames MSA +2% vs. Iowa +2% vs. Nation +3%
Population
Population Trend and Forecast
Ames MSA
Population by Age Cohort
Data Sortable by Column (click header)
| Age Cohort | 2017 Population | 2022 Population | Change | % Change | 2022 % of Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 years | 5,931 | 5,449 | -482 | -8% | 4.31% |
| 5 to 9 years | 6,040 | 5,768 | -272 | -5% | 4.57% |
| 10 to 14 years | 6,005 | 6,107 | 102 | 2% | 4.84% |
| 15 to 19 years | 13,221 | 13,741 | 520 | 4% | 10.88% |
| 20 to 24 years | 23,011 | 23,235 | 224 | 1% | 18.4% |
| 25 to 29 years | 9,232 | 8,857 | -375 | -4% | 7.01% |
| 30 to 34 years | 6,811 | 7,152 | 341 | 5% | 5.66% |
| 35 to 39 years | 6,857 | 6,573 | -284 | -4% | 5.21% |
| 40 to 44 years | 5,684 | 6,745 | 1,061 | 19% | 5.34% |
| 45 to 49 years | 5,728 | 5,689 | -39 | -1% | 4.5% |
| 50 to 54 years | 5,950 | 5,550 | -400 | -7% | 4.39% |
| 55 to 59 years | 6,750 | 6,005 | -745 | -11% | 4.76% |
| 60 to 64 years | 6,594 | 6,620 | 26 | 0% | 5.24% |
| 65 to 69 years | 5,380 | 6,169 | 789 | 15% | 4.89% |
| 70 to 74 years | 3,661 | 4,915 | 1,254 | 34% | 3.89% |
| 75 to 79 years | 2,614 | 3,180 | 566 | 22% | 2.52% |
| 80 to 84 years | 1,992 | 2,129 | 137 | 7% | 1.69% |
| 85 years and over | 2,372 | 2,398 | 26 | 1% | 1.9% |
Population By Race
Population by Gender
27.2% of Ames MSA residents possess a Bachelor's Degree (7.2% above the national average)
Educational Attainment
Iowa State University Degree Completions
Bachelor's Degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's Degree
Doctor's Degree
Degrees by Program
| Description | 2022 Completions | 2009-2022 Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 8,554 | 6K 8.6K |
| Engineering | 1,866 | 1K 1.9K |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services | 1,437 | 1.2K 1.4K |
| Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields | 867 | 0.6K 0.9K |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences | 544 | 0.3K 0.5K |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services | 477 | 0.1K 0.5K |
| Education | 425 | 0.5K 0.4K |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 272 | 0.3K 0.3K |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | 271 | 0.2K 0.3K |
| Psychology | 233 | 0.2K 0.2K |
Source: Lightcast
Industry
Regional GRP
$8.1B
Total Imports
$9.6B
Total Exports
$11.1B
Industry
Industry Characteristics
Data Sortable by Column (click header)
| Industry | 2023 Jobs | 2022 Average Earnings Per Worker | 2023 LQ (Industry Concentration) | 2018-2023 % Change in Jobs | 2022 GRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government | 25,927 | $67,609 | 2.73 | -4.23% | 1897.21M |
| Retail Trade | 7,683 | $34,545 | 1.01 | 3.47% | 473.24M |
| Manufacturing | 5,942 | $86,254 | 1.12 | 3.31% | 1213.37M |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 5,901 | $64,245 | 0.63 | -4.36% | 406.78M |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 5,187 | $22,302 | 0.88 | -4.16% | 195.78M |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4,517 | $83,948 | 0.72 | 9.44% | 427.89M |
| Construction | 4,212 | $68,407 | 0.9 | 3.04% | 367.98M |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 4,140 | $51,666 | 0.86 | 33.64% | 260.91M |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3,333 | $33,897 | 0.72 | -2.02% | 124.53M |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3,206 | $64,280 | 2.28 | 12.06% | 345.4M |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 3,041 | $39,331 | 0.6 | 18.39% | 148.8M |
| Finance and Insurance | 2,781 | $64,854 | 0.53 | 24.77% | 324.03M |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 2,098 | $50,026 | 0.45 | 18.5% | 138.74M |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,771 | $94,507 | 0.66 | 8.34% | 395.2M |
| Information | 1,221 | $66,049 | 0.79 | -6.13% | 216.57M |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1,210 | $16,723 | 0.68 | -17.34% | 31.18M |
| Educational Services | 971 | $24,790 | 0.5 | 10.22% | 24.66M |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 821 | $212,755 | 0.7 | 11.71% | 187.82M |
| Utilities | 206 | $135,180 | 0.86 | -6.26% | 127.92M |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 143 | $93,165 | 0.34 | 42.14% | 34.65M |
Workforce & Employment
Payrolled Business Locations
3,611
Historical 5-year Job Growth (2017-2022)
-.2%
Projected 5-year Job Growth (2023-2027)
6.1%
Avg. Earnings Per Job
$67,553
Employers competing in the region who posted for a job over the last 12 months
1,817
Number of unique postings for a particular job over the last 12 months
12,453
Median job posting duration is the same as what's typical in the Ames MSA region
28 days
Jobs Trend and Forecast
Ames MSA
Job Growth Comparison
5-Yr. Change
| Region | 2017 Jobs | 2022 Jobs | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | 67,062 | 66,835 | -227 | 0% |
| Iowa | 1,627,595 | 1,619,849 | -7,746 | 0% |
| United States | 152,127,974 | 157,796,351 | 5,668,377 | 4% |
Job Postings
Job Postings 5-Year Trend
5-Year Trend
Job Postings 30-Day Trend
30-day Year over Year Trend
Job Postings by Industry
30-day % change (Hover to Display Values)
| Industry Sector (2-Digit) | Latest 30 Days Unique Postings | Latest 30 Days Unique Postings % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 400 | -0.5% |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 369 | 1.9% |
| Retail Trade | 363 | -0.3% |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 344 | -1.7% |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 197 | -7.6% |
| Manufacturing | 191 | -26.7% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 178 | 1.7% |
| Public Administration | 141 | 4.3% |
| Construction | 108 | 9.3% |
| Wholesale Trade | 108 | -7.4% |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 77 | 0% |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 71 | -5.6% |
| Information | 59 | 11.9% |
| Utilities | 59 | -15.3% |
| Finance and Insurance | 55 | -9.1% |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 30 | -43.3% |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 28 | -14.3% |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 17 | -17.6% |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 10 | -10% |
Top 20 Companies
| Company | Latest 30 Days Unique Postings | Latest 30 Days Unique Postings % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa State University | 281 | -0.7% |
| Mary Greeley Medical Center | 68 | 10.3% |
| State Of Iowa | 58 | 12.1% |
| Mcfarland Clinic Pc | 54 | -22.2% |
| City Of Ames | 50 | -16% |
| Workiva | 44 | 11.4% |
| Fareway Stores | 42 | 28.6% |
| Ames Community School District | 37 | 13.5% |
| Hy-Vee | 35 | 8.6% |
| ChildServe | 31 | -12.9% |
| Walmart | 31 | -6.5% |
| Iowa Department of Administrative Services | 30 | 3.3% |
| Danfoss | 28 | 28.6% |
| Boone County Hospital | 23 | 17.4% |
| Boone Community School District | 22 | 9.1% |
| Accura Healthcare | 20 | 15% |
| DirecTV | 18 | |
| Lowe's | 18 | 44.4% |
| Buffalo Wild Wings | 17 | 0% |
| Iowa Department Of Transportation | 17 | 17.6% |
Labor Force & Unemployment
Unemployment and Labor Force Participation Rates
Hover to display values
Unemployment Rate
Labor Force Participation Rate
2018
1.7%
71.4%
2019
1.9%
71.7%
2020
3.7%
67.5%
2021
2.8%
67.9%
2022
2.1%
69.9%
October 2023
2.6%
69.3%
November 2023
2.3%
68.7%
December 2023
1.9%
67.6%
January 2024
2.6%
66%
Workforce
Occupation Concentration
Data Sortable by Column (click header)
| Occupation | 2023 Jobs | 2023 Median Salary | 2023 Average Hourly Wage | 2023 LQ (Occupation Concentration) | 2018-2023 % Change in Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales and Related | 8,811 | $32,774 | $29.76 | 0.89 | 5.76% |
| Office and Administrative Support | 8,757 | $40,122 | $20.82 | 0.97 | -5.02% |
| Management | 8,200 | $74,613 | $44.35 | 1.08 | 19.87% |
| Educational Instruction and Library | 7,731 | $53,880 | $30.99 | 1.94 | -7.97% |
| Business and Financial Operations | 5,757 | $65,207 | $39.74 | 0.87 | 25.7% |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | 5,468 | $26,881 | $13.68 | 1.02 | -5.85% |
| Transportation and Material Moving | 4,659 | $36,608 | $20.48 | 0.68 | 8.36% |
| Production | 4,071 | $39,382 | $20.69 | 1.05 | -15.11% |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | 3,830 | $63,747 | $40.92 | 0.93 | 11.56% |
| Construction and Extraction | 3,675 | $48,469 | $25.7 | 1 | -1.37% |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | 3,002 | $48,786 | $25 | 1 | 3.32% |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 2,908 | $31,878 | $17.12 | 1 | -2.64% |
| Personal Care and Service | 2,652 | $28,184 | $18 | 0.94 | -15.55% |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | 2,443 | $45,881 | $28.79 | 0.94 | 4.67% |
| Healthcare Support | 2,375 | $34,861 | $17.91 | 0.72 | 0.96% |
| Computer and Mathematical | 2,337 | $81,412 | $41.83 | 1.01 | 0.53% |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | 1,985 | $60,239 | $33.95 | 2.61 | 5.79% |
| Architecture and Engineering | 1,514 | $78,770 | $39.68 | 1.31 | 21.03% |
| Community and Social Service | 1,512 | $49,422 | $24.94 | 1.2 | 4.49% |
| Protective Service | 1,049 | $57,070 | $26.46 | 0.71 | 13.85% |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | 992 | $30,579 | $18.5 | 1.75 | 19.08% |
| Legal | 291 | $76,772 | $51.18 | 0.43 | 20% |
| Military-only | 232 | $60,168 | $31.17 | 0.61 | 11.3% |
Job Postings vs. Hires
Top Hard Skills Companies Are Looking For
Ames, IA
| Skill | Frequency in Job Postings | Frequency in Candidates | Skill Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merchandising | 5% | 2% | -3% |
| Nursing | 4% | 1% | -3% |
| Marketing | 4% | 7% | 3% |
| Balancing (Ledger/Billing) | 4% | 0% | -4% |
| Cash Register | 3% | 1% | -2% |
| Warehousing | 3% | 1% | -2% |
| Auditing | 3% | 2% | -1% |
| Construction | 3% | 1% | -2% |
| Data Analysis | 3% | 4% | 1% |
| Accounting | 3% | 3% | 0% |
| Restaurant Operation | 3% | 1% | -2% |
| Project Management | 3% | 6% | 3% |
| Agriculture | 2% | 2% | 0% |
| Inventory Management | 2% | 2% | 0% |
| Housekeeping | 2% | 0% | -2% |
| Selling Techniques | 2% | 1% | -1% |
| Food Safety And Sanitation | 2% | 1% | -1% |
| Billing | 2% | 1% | -1% |
| Cash Handling | 2% | 0% | -2% |
| Hand Tools | 2% | 0% | -2% |
Jobs by Age
Jobs by Race
Jobs by Gender
Location Advantages & Quality Of Life
Well Being & Happiness
Top 10 States for Happy Living
Lower Score is Better (Ranked 1-50)
Housing
Home Values
Hover to display values
A smoothed, seasonally adjusted measure of the typical home value and market changes across a given region and housing type. Reflects the typical value for homes in the 35th to 65th percentile range.
Data
SOURCES
-
Lightcast, Zillow, American Community Survey, Porch.com
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