Hot-summer humid continental
Ames, Iowa
Story County, Iowa · Population 66k · 958 ft elevation
Living in Ames
Ames has a hot-summer humid continental climate: hot summers (July highs around 84°F) and cold winters (January lows around 11°F).
Precipitation is wet at about 36″ a year, and it gets light snow (27″ a season).
Skies are sunny (62% of possible sunshine). Summers get sticky, with about 31 muggy days a year.
Air quality is moderate: a median AQI of 44, with about 2 unhealthy-air days in the latest year.
Ames at a glance
- Population
- 66k
- Elevation
- 958 ft
- Average daily high
- 59°F13th percentile
- Average daily low
- 38°F12th percentile
- Annual precipitation
- 36″28th percentile
- Annual snowfall
- 27″67th percentile
- Sunshine hours per year
- 2,772 hrs46th percentile
- Median AQI
- 4462th percentile
- Median home value
- $264k50th percentile
- Median rent
- $1,040/mo37th percentile
- Median household income
- $60k30th percentile
- Property tax rate
- 1.45%71th percentile
- Top state income-tax rate
- 3.8%
- Sales tax (state + local)
- 6.9%
- Unemployment rate
- 6.4%
- Homes with broadband
- 72%2th percentile
- Walkability index
- 8.041th percentile
- Average commute
- 16 min
- Math proficiency (8th grade)
- 77%90th percentile
- Reading proficiency (8th grade)
- 75%
- Violent crime rate
- 103 per 100k32th percentile
- Property crime rate
- 1,267 per 100k
- Overall natural-hazard risk
- 6922th percentile
- Outdoor access
- 99th percentile
- Public land within 10 miles
- 0%
- Public land within 30 miles
- 1%
- Mountain relief within 30 miles
- 295 ft
Climate by month
| Month | High | Low | Precipitation | Snow | Sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 11°F | 0.6″ | 6.6″ | 164 hrs |
| Feb | 33°F | 15°F | 0.8″ | 7.8″ | 190 hrs |
| Mar | 47°F | 27°F | 1.9″ | 3.8″ | 211 hrs |
| Apr | 61°F | 38°F | 3.9″ | 0.7″ | 224 hrs |
| May | 72°F | 49°F | 5.2″ | — | 261 hrs |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 5.2″ | — | 300 hrs |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.4″ | — | 340 hrs |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 4.8″ | — | 306 hrs |
| Sep | 76°F | 51°F | 3.3″ | — | 258 hrs |
| Oct | 63°F | 39°F | 2.8″ | 0.4″ | 201 hrs |
| Nov | 47°F | 27°F | 1.9″ | 1.5″ | 170 hrs |
| Dec | 34°F | 16°F | 1.1″ | 6.5″ | 147 hrs |
Near Ames
- Nevada, IA · 7k
- Huxley, IA · 4.4k
- Story City, IA · 3.4k
- Boone, IA · 12k
- Madrid, IA · 2.8k
- Polk City, IA · 5.8k
- Ankeny, IA · 71k
- Johnston, IA · 24k
Largest places in Iowa
- Des Moines, IA · 212k
- Cedar Rapids, IA · 137k
- Davenport, IA · 101k
- Sioux City, IA · 86k
- Iowa City, IA · 75k
- West Des Moines, IA · 70k
- Waterloo, IA · 67k
- Council Bluffs, IA · 63k
Sources: NOAA climate normals, NASA POWER, EPA air quality, U.S. Census Bureau, FEMA, FBI, EPA walkability and EDFacts. Methodology